Can't I be weird, too?
by Blonde Gingernut
Summary: Kinda a xover. Set in New Moon. While Edward's away, Bella resorts to spending time with Jacob. They explore La Push and Bella alone finds a secret..mermaids exist.H2O type mermaids. Will this affect her supernatural relationships? SM owns Twilight. R&R x
1. Chapter 1

**Kinda a xover. Set in New Moon. While Edward's away, Bella resorts to spending time with Jacob. They explore La Push and Bella alone finds a secret..mermaids exist.H2O type mermaids. Will this affect her supernatural relationships? SM owns Twilight. R&R x**

Life hurts like hell, but that's all in the past. It can't be helped. I smiled as I reached into another rockpool. My sights were set on the large, shiny shell buried in the rocky sand. I pulled it out, and found a large, curled in shell. It was empty, but beautiful. The top was pale, pure cream, flawless, like it was brand new. The underside, where it curled in, was pale, and slightly pink. It shone like a pearl. But that wasn't its most spectacular. On the pearly side, right in toward where it was too shadowed to see, was a dark red, slipping down into the dark of the shell. It looked like a dripping red liquid - blood - but it wasn't liquid. It was design. It reminded me of the past, and instead of breaking up, like I would, I shoved it in my pocket, smiling. Being careful as I walked along the craggy rocks and seaweed, I felt like a five year old, searching for creatures and pretty shells. But I wasn't alone. I looked up from my feet, and there, further along the beach, was a large, russet coloured creature. Okay, just an abnormally tall and strong teen, but not all the time. Sometimes, Jacob Black was a tall, strong wolf. A werewolf, part of the La Push pack. Jacob too was leaning over a large rockpool, his large hands shooting into the water every now and again, faster than any human. No wonder he caught all the crabs and fish. He caught me looking and smiled. I remembered when things used to be awkward between us, when he liked me, and I... didn't know how I felt. I still didn't know how I felt, but I didn't think he liked me. Even if he did, nothing was going to happen. Even if _I_ did, nothing was going to happen.

I smiled back at him, losing my balance at the same time. The tide had just went out, leaving the green seaweed all slimy. I fell into the rockpool, soaking my jeans. It didn't annoy me, instead I laughed. Jacob was by my side in seconds. Not laughing, scowling. "Are you alright? Are you hurt? Oh, you've got your jeans soaked! Bells!" He groaned, but I kept on laughing.

"Lighten up, Jake! I thought we were out here to have fun, not get upset by fun!" I said, using my arms to stand up, but falling back in again. The water splashes around me, making me laugh even harder.

"No, we were out here to cheer you up, and it seems to be working." He smiled ruefully. "I'm just a little stressed out, we've got a pack meeting tonight." He shuddered, and my mood was suddenly dampened.

"First of all, we were cheering me up _months_ ago. Time to cheer _you_ up now!" We both smiled grimly, because we both knew what my next question will be. "What's up with the pack? Why do you need a meeting?" I shuddered too. Werewolves didn't really have much to do, other than frolic in the woods... and defend humans from vampires. And if the latest news wasn't about flowers and meadows they'd found on their peaceful travels... it would be about some dentally enhanced visitors.

"It doesn't matter. You don't need to hear it, Bells." He reached out to pull me to my feet, and I stood up, in the puddle.

"I'd like to, though." I scowled at him, angry that they wouldn't tell me anything. Not like _I'm_ a pack member, or related to one, or even dating one... but still. They're my friends, and their situations are my situations. Sort of.

"Come on, Bella. I don't need to tell you about it. It's the pack's problem." He's started to get cross, in that way that he definitely wouldn't tell me.

"Pleease?" I batted my eyelashes, smiled up at him. He shook his head and folded his arms. "Aw, come on, Jake! If you don't tell me, I can't help you guys!"

"We don't need help," He muttered. Ah, the proud werewolves. No human assistance required. "Even if you _are_ the leech expert." He grinned, picking me up and throwing me over his shoulder. "Come on. Don't you think this hobby's getting a little old now? I used to do it as a baby."

"Well, I didn't! My beaches were all golden sand and blue seas!" Ah, Phoenix, Arizona. Even if it was a long journey, the beaches were worth it. "And don't call vampires that, you know it's mean!" Of course, vampires and I had a history. I was, for a time, a part of a vampire family. A very kind one at that. 'Vegetarians', so afraid of losing their souls, their humanity, they resisted their own nature. Beautiful faces, beautiful hearts. I was sorry they left, but they had better things to do. Their appearance was like a magnificent butterfly, landing on a mangled wallflower. I don't hate them, I mean, I loved them, but I can't pine for them forever. It doesn't work that way. Maybe another vampire will come and snatch me up, into their weird world.

"And Jake? PUT ME DOWN!" I yelled, pounding on his back with my fists, kicking his stomach and chest, and kneeing his face. He just chuckled. It didn't hurt him, damned werewolf strength. He grabbed my waist, and dangled me over one rockpool, responding to my angry demands. He raised an eyebrow, then dropped me in it lightly. "Jake!" I grimaced at my feet, for some reason angrier about the water on them than all over my jeans. "Plus, by talking about vampires, you've just confirmed that the meeting is about them, and I want to know." I smiled looking up at his towering face.

"Relax, it's not your Cullens." He sighed, knowing neither of us would give up.

"I guessed, and they are not '_my _Cullens'."

"Bella, I'm not going to tell you. The pack don't need the help of humans, that's why we're a _pack_, not a community gathering, or a... superhero team! Face it Bella: when it comes to anyone else's business, you're useless." He went for the offensive, far too early. The insults shock me. He hit on a nerve. I knew fine well that I wasn't as big and strong and powerful as a werewolf, nor as strong and smart as a vampire, or even as sly and mysterious as a ghost! But I was still useful. And _I _didn't only worry about my own business! I could be helpful in theirs, as I'd already shown them on countless occasions. And getting in my head like that! Or at least, thinking he was. Did he truly believe that I thought this was some sort of novelty, a cartoon type thing with bad guys, good guys and a happy ending? I didn't think it was a _community gathering _either.

I didn't feel like arguing, not now, so I left. I walked out of the rockpools, away from the beach, and up to my car. My feet were soaking, my jeans would leave water on the seats, but I drove away, not caring. I needed to calm down. I drove around for hours. Not uncomfortable enough to go home, not interested enough to go anywhere else. I couldn't think of anywhere. By the time I decided, it was getting dark. I stopped my faded red Chevvy by a forest, right where the pavement ended. My clothes still hadn't dried off, but walking might help. I walked and walked, following my instincts, and only slightly my memory. I found it. The meadow, where Edward Cullen had taken me. It was beautiful, of course. I promise, I was over him. I just liked the meadow. It helped me relax.

But not that day. I lay on my back, looking at the darkening sky, only illuminated by the moon, surprisingly full. I imagined a presence beside me, not a particular one, just _somebody._ And I _did_ feel a presence, a _real_ one. Someone was there. In a fright, I leapt up to hide. Not the trees. If it was werewolves, or... vampires, they would find me in seconds. Besides, I couldn't keep still. Anyone would hear me. And it was _my_ place, where _I _relaxed. I don't know where my mind disappeared to, but I was peering through the reeds and weeds of the pond just as shadows appeared. _Laurent!_ I didn't know whether to jump up and greet him - from the pond. Strange human or bog monster? - or to stay hidden. _Stay hidden._ I decided. I didn't trust him. He was one of James' vampires, and although James was long gone, Laurent wasn't.

He didn't speak, he only sniffed and looked around. I was thankful of the moonlight, glinting off the pond. It produced a glare, hiding me. Even a vampire wouldn't be able to look through the bright white of it. I could see him, slightly, as he moved to the side, away from the blinding light. His eyes, burgandy red flashed in the reflection. He looked right at my hiding place. I dunked under just as the whimper attempted to escape my mouth. It was so very cold in the water. And it was a pond; still water. Not pretty blue, or even sea water. Rancid water. Rain water. Dead leaves surely lined the bottom, along with other dead things. If I could find the bottom. I was bracing my arms against the sides, unable to reach the bottom of the depths. I could see Laurent's shadow approach, then disappear. The sensation in the back of my head, the feeling of being watched, being not alone, was gone. I don't know why, but I was sure he was gone. I was still hesitant, I mean, how far could I trust myself with my own life? Okay, I know, silly question. I slowly crawled my arms up the sides - all mucky and slimy - and my head broke the surface.

Or at least it should have. I couldn't. It was like some sort of cover had been placed over the water, only there wasn't. I became panicky, pushing against the surface. Of course, it had the opposite effect. Instead, I pushed myself spiraling to the bottom of the water.

**Heyyy (:**

**So, what do you think? Personally, I kinda liked it **:D

**But of course, I haven't read it xD**

**I don't know if it was a bit quick, but I'm kinda short on time... k, jus' tell me what you think, or whatever.**

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**Blonde Gingernut** (: xxx


	2. Chapter 2

It was light when I opened my eyes. Very light, like dawn. And it was cold. And wet. Outside...? Yesterday came flooding back into my mind. Hanging out at La Push beach with Jake, arguing over nothing, driving around, going to the meadow... sinking. And Laurent! He must have been the vampire Jake and the pack were going to discuss. He _had_ to be.

Something was wrong about that memory. I'd been in the pond, and I couldn't get out, because there was a barrier. I'd sunk. But, when I woke up, my head was resting on the bank. My feet had gouged steps across from me, on the other side, and they were keeping me up. I remembered panicking, trying to escape the water, but sinking to the bottom, and everything disappearing. How come I hadn't drowned? How had I got back up? I didn't need to be smart to know that the pond was bad news. Whatever I had to think about, I'd do it far, far away from here. I tried to push myself out, and though my hands slipped on the mud, I managed to get a good enough grip and heave myself out. My legs were _covered_ in mud, and I was soaked to the bone. But I had to get home, bog monster or not. My legs felt heavy, and it was hard to walk along through the forest.

I was shivering when I got back to the car. Of course, it wasn't any warmer inside; I'd left the window open. I checked the phone I'd left behind. No missed calls, no texts, no communications whatsoever. Clearly Charlie thought me and Jake had finally hooked up. I hated how he didn't mind that.

Surprisingly, I was dry when I got home. I was still muddy, and I felt so unclean, but at least I had access to a shower. It was still early morning, nearly time for Charlie to go to work. And I was right. I burst through the door, knowing he would be awake, and not really in the mood to act cheerful. "Bella?" Charlie peered through the living room doorway, combing his hair thoroughly. "Where were you, I thought-"

"You didn't call though, did you?" I said sourly.

"Weren't you at Jake's? Did you run away, Bells, honey?" He frowned, and I saw an upset look in his eye. He thought he wasn't doing a good job looking after me. Well, in honesty, not calling me when I don't come home isn't really good parenting skills – Renee would flip – but he wasn't that bad. I realized that I _did _sound like I'd run away, like I wanted attention, like a hide and seek game, he didn't come looking for me, and now I was angry.

"No, I got lost in the woods." I mumbled, dropping the anger. I could hardly keep it up. My negative emotions had all run out, months ago.

"Bells, you should have called!" He said, looking all panicky. "In a _swamp_?!" He then asked, taking in my muddy appearance.

"I didn't have my phone, and yeah, pretty much. I _really_ need a shower, I feel awful." I sighed, and began walking past him to go upstairs.

"Okay, honey. I have to go to work, but I could wait for you, see if you feel better?" He looked really upset now, which only made me feel bad, too.

"No, it's okay, Dad. I'm fine. Tell you what, tomorrow's Saturday, right? We'll go out for dinner at The Lodge, my treat."

"Bella," He sighed, smiling. I'd cheered him up. I hoped. "I can't let you pay, what a bad father I'd be!" He laughed.

"No, but - "

"Bella, I'll take _you_ out. I'm down on my parent points. See ya later, Bells." He smiled, kissing my forehead before he walked to the door. I stared after him for a second, unsure whether I was annoyed or not. I guessed that meant I wasn't. With another sigh, I continued to walk upstairs, taking care not to trail mud through the house. I don't hang about, I head straight for the bathroom, grabbing a towel off the door and putting it on the radiator, to make it warm later. I quickly hopped into the shower, anticipating the warmth. The mud ran from my skin instantly, as the little jets of water massaged me. Feeling tired, I sat down on the shower floor, bringing my knees up and leaning my head on them. I closed my eyes, and relaxed.

That was when things got weird. Suddenly, I felt free, like I'd fallen asleep and could do anything. Like I was flying, like the water droplets raining down to me. Then my legs shot out in front of me, curling up the wall of the small shower cubicle. And I no longer felt free. Maybe I'd drifted off and lost hold of my knees. The truth was far more bizarre. Slowly, I opened one eye to look, and screamed. There, lying in the bath, was a large fishtale. Where my legs should have been. It was a greyish blue colour, and it moved when I recoiled from it. I screamed again, and tried to stand up to escape. Again, it moved with me. I screamed _again_, only for it to choke away into a strangled sob. It did what I wanted it to. It was my legs. _Was_, being the main word. I looked down at myself, and found a bikini top in the same colour.

"What the..." I whispered, wiggling it about. _Mermaid_ was the first word that shot into my mind. Mermaid. Oh my...

Being in a situation like that, I didn't have a lot of options. _Any,_ for that matter. I reached up to try get the shower controls, but they were too far away, and there was no way I was able to get taller like this. I carried on reaching, feeling it to be my only hope. If I opened the door now, all the water would leak out, and I couldn't get out like this. Suddenly, the shower shuddered, and the water turned hot. It scalded my skin, and being jumpy I screamed again. I withdrew my hand, as far out of the water as I could go, and covered my face. The water turned cold. Now, I was confused, annoyed, and scared. I wanted out. Teeth chattering, I reached out again, using my stomach muscles to try balance, get a little taller. Then, without touching it, the water went off. I stared at the shower head in awe, then at the scaly grey blue thing where my legs should have been.

Carefully, still staring at the tail, I reached for the door, and slid it open, and reached for the towel. Hesitantly, I brought it into the humid shower, and tapped the tail with it. And felt it. I flinched. And again. And, I fainted.

When I woke up, I was sitting in a dry shower. And I had legs. With a relieved gasp, I got up and leapt out of the shower. Not real, not real. It wasn't real. I fell asleep in the shower. But... how did the water go off? It ran out. Of course! But, I had to be sure. How ridiculous, I had to test out a dream! I mocked myself, but I had to be sure, no matter how childish. There was a bottle of water in my room, I'd use that. Or did it have to cover me? _Shut up,_ _Bella!_ I stood up, wrapped the towel around me, and walked into my room. Without hesitation, I grabbed the bottle, unscrewed the lid, and splashed it over my head.

Nothing. Nothing! It _was _a dream.

No, it wasn't. Seconds later, I was lying on the floor, dressed like in a 'The Little Mermaid' costume, or so it appeared. This time, the scales were orange. I wiggled it around in amazement, then stopped, to pinch my arm. I wasn't dreaming. I let my fingers creep over the tail, not as frightened anymore. It was real. I was a mermaid. A _mermaid_! How strange. Out of everything I could have been; a vampire, a werewolf, I had become something entirely different! Well, at least it was my own... no, that was a negative. I was alone as this. I could have been in a pack of werewolves, a coven of vampires, but I was alone. But at least I was different. There was something strange about me now, a secret.

_So, I'm not useful, Jacob Black?_ I thought, cracking a smile for the first time in the day.

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**Sorry for mistakes, i haven't read it over. I hope you like it, R&R? thankyouu xxx  
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	3. Chapter 3

When Charlie got home that night, I was a bundle of nerves. There was something special about having a secret to keep. I mean, I know about the Cullens and the La Push pack, but this was my own secret. I couldn't imagine how desperate the Cullens or Jacob would have been to share their secrets. But I couldn't tell anyone yet. First of all, it was new, even to me. I needed to figure it out a bit, understand it. And enjoy it, alone. Jacob's secret had been weird, but logical. It was a family thing, and I'd heard all the tales of why it began. The vampires, again, weird, but logical. They had venom teeth. But me? I didn't even know how this happened. Whether some mermaid bit me in that little meadow pond, or what? What concentrations of water triggered it? Why did my scales change colour at different times? And what about the shower? I changed the temperature and switched it off without touching it.

I seriously needed to understand it before I blabbed it. So anyway, Charlie was back. I was sitting in the living room, watching TV, for a change. I couldn't keep still, I was too fidgety and excited. Charlie walked in, loosening his tie, and looked at me in confusion. I wordlessly handed him the remote, "Thanks," He mumbled, setting it down on his armchair and sitting beside it to take off his shoes. "Mind if I change the channel?" He asked, raising his eyebrows at the TV. It was just the news, but he wanted to watch the football.

"Sure," I smiled.

"Right," He nodded, grabbing his shoes and dropping them off in the shoe cupboard and walking upstairs to get changed. Just then the phone rang. I ran to check the caller ID. Jacob Black. I picked it up, smiling smugly.

"Jacob Black. I _knew_ you would call to apologize, because I know that you're a weak, smelly-" I started, shocked by the deep, gravelly voice on the other line.

"Hello, Bella," It said, sounding amused.

"_Jake?!"_ I asked, confused.

"No, it's Billy. I need to speak to Charlie, actually." He said, then began to laugh in a deep growl. Oops. It wasn't surprising I thought it would be Jacob; nearly every time Charlie or I had answered the phone it had been Jake. Though I should have known sooner.

"Um... Charlie. Right. He's upstairs and..." I heard the shower go on upstairs and shuddered, remembering my eventful morning. "Well, he's just went into the shower, I'll get him to call you back?"

"That'll be great, Bella. Actually, Jake does want to talk to you. Something about apologizing...?" He laughed again, and I heard Jacob groan in exasperation in the background. "Here he is."

"Hi Jake," I said smugly.

"Bella, you're right. Sorry." He sounded insulted, as though it was hard for him to apologize. Whatever the reason, he didn't say anything else about it. "Want to come to the beach tonight? We're having a campfire-slash-barbeque night, wanna come?"

"Oh, great! Sure!" La Push campfire parties were the best, everyone was friendly and we always had a laugh. "That'll be amazing, what time?"

"Well... it's what, five now? How about you come here at sevin-ish, and help us set up?" He sounded hopeful, and I think he was glad we were ok again.

"Well... I've got nothing to do till then, can I come just now?"

"Yeah, that's fine," I could practically hear his smile on the other line. "See you in 5, Bells." He hung up after that. I put the phone down, smiling, and I heard Charlie come out of the shower. My smile faded. Crap. Crap, crap, crap. I'd agreed to go to a beach party, by the water. And I still knew nothing about my situation, other than the fact that water was bad. I couldn't cancel. I didn't _want_ to cancel. I decided to go, no matter what. If they flung me in the sea I'd...

"Daaaaaad!" I yelled up to Charlie. Then, I realized I needed to go upstairs anyway. "Dad, I'm going to La Push, they're having a barbeque. It's Friday, you usually get a Takeaway anyway, right?" I reached into the airing cupboard and got a clean towel.

"Okay, Bella. Aren't you tired, though?" He yelled back.

"Dad, I'm right here." I said, standing outside his bedroom door. "And no, I slept most of the day." No, I spent most of the day testing out my mermaid-ism. "Oh yeah, and you've got to call Billy back, okay?"

"Billy?" He sounded confused, but let it drop. "Okay, Bella, have a nice time, might see you later, honey."

I got to La Push quickly, excited now about the campfire party. Tails and scales had taken the backseat in my mind, and I only thought of them when I thought of the impending doom of water. Jacob was sitting on his porch, a backpack beside him. When he saw me approach, he patted the backpack and yelled, "Campfire equipment!" As I neared, he started talking animatedly. "Well, technically, it's just a picnic with a fire at night, and on the beach. Did you bring swimming stuff? The moon's gonna be real bright and full, so it'll be light enough to swim... a bit. I mean, you wouldn't want to go out really far cause it isn't _that_ bright, but still. And also, we're gonna-"

"Jacob? Shut up." I smiled, nudging him as he started to walk beside me. He laughed, and we walked toward the beach. I looked at the lapping sea in awe, wondering how water could do such strange things. Then I remembered something. The full moon. I remembered that from last night. Trying to squint through the glare of it on the water to look at Laurent. And then, when I thought I'd blacked out. Something else happened... Yes, I remembered a silver light illuminating the bottom of the pond. It was there for only a few seconds, but bubbles rose in its appearance. What if it was the moon...? No, that's ridiculous.

"Okay." Jacob said, looking around the beach. We were quite far back, behind the rock pools where it was sandier. "How about here?" He reached around for the backpack, unzipped it, and pulled out a blanket. He shook it out, then set it down on the sand. Then, he got another one and set it out beside the first one. "Quil's bringing more blankets." He mumbled, and it sounded like it was to himself. "I've got some food, and matches." He smiled down at me. "Coming for a swim?"

I could feel my eyes widening. "Uh... no, I don't think so."

"Come on, Bells, it's still light! And it'll be... refreshing." He looked like he was begging, already.

"No, it'll be cold. Let's not." I could not risk it.

"I'll throw you in."

Oh, that's worse. I'd rather do it on my own terms than be chucked in by a load of rowdy, laughing, strong dog-boys. At least like this, there would be a better chance of me finding a way to dry off, with hardly any people around. Plus, I found out Jake's secret when he was still coming to terms with it, if he found out, he found out. And I _really_ wanted to share it with someone. "Let's go." I said quickly. I didn't have a swimming costume with me, because I knew I didn't need one. When I changed, my clothes seemed to go into invisible storage until I was dry again, and they magically reappeared.

"Like that?" He frowned down at me.

"Sure." I shrugged, and he did the same. He took off his tee-shirt, and I noticed that his shorts were long swimming trunks. Before he was done, I grabbed my towel and ran down the beach. I tried to set it out of the water's reach, but close enough to be in my reach. I found a perfect place; sitting atop a spiny, tall rock near the water, that I could hide behind to dry off. I sat down beside it and started to take my shoes off, careful not to put my feet on the damp sand. I heard Jake down to the water seconds later. Perfect, he set his towel down quite far away from me, at the other side of the rock. I looked over my shoulder to see him standing waiting for me.

"Coming?" He asked, looking at the water. "You'll be freezing," he laughed. Stupid werewolf genes; he wouldn't be cold with his high temperature. I shook my head and sighed, then put my feet down and ran for the water. Jacob was faster. He was already in by the time I jumped in. Luckily, I knew how long I had: ten seconds. I was in the water, and trying to swim for deeper, darker water, where it would be harder for him to see me. Jake wouldn't be able to see better in the water, it was too murky even for enhanced eyes. But I could. As my head sunk underwater, I opened my eyes and was surprised to see it the way I would see air. It was like the air was a greeny-brown colour, but I could see through it. I felt a hand on my foot. It hadn't been ten seconds yet, but I didn't have long. It was so warm through the cold water, I drew in a sharp breath, stupidly. But water didn't drown me. It flooded my lungs, sure, but it did nothing. I was breathing _through_ the water. 7...8... I still hadn't kicked Jake's hand away. With a powerful kick, his hand released its grip, and I was off. Just on time. Suddenly, I knew I'd changed. And I felt different, more build for the water; I wasn't cold at all anymore, and I could swim like a dolphin. I could breathe, I could see, and... I could hear. I had never felt better in my life, like _this_ was my calling. I marvelled at the underwater world around me, and flexed my tail. With one swish, I went a mile. Easily, I turned round and went back a mile, to where I could see Jacob, or rather, most of Jacob. His head was above water, probably searching for me. I could hear his voice echo through the water as I got nearer. "Bella? Bella?" He was panicking. I came close enough, and stuck only my head above the water.

"Hey Jake!" I grinned, staring right into his worried eyes.

"Bella! Where'd you go?!"

"I was just beside you, Jake, chill out. I thought werewolves were meant to have excellent senses?" I mocked.

"Not underwater," He grumbled.

"So if I throw in a stick, you won't fetch it for me?" I laughed. "Want to race?"

"Uh... are you sure you'll be okay, Bella?" He said, his eyebrows furrowing in concern. I just laugh.

"Come on!" I say, dunking underwater again. I pinch his knee lightly, and am surprised to see a reaction. The skin reddened slightly, and he moved, flinching. _I hurt him!_ He dunked under then, and I saw his face, all scrunched up, eyes shut, and he began to swim. I stayed where I was and watched him go for a while, then slowly swam after him. Just at the last minute, when I could hear his heartbeat desperate for oxygen, I pulled in front of him and put my head above the water.

"How'd you beat me?!" He gasped. I shrugged, grinning. "I'm tired now, anyway. Coming out?"

"Nah, I'll be out in a minute, meet you out there," I smiled, before turning around and diving, flicking my tail up. And I made a terrible mistake. I felt the air whisk around the scales on my tail, and heard Jacob's gasp and his splash as he recoiled. I closed my eyes tightly, cursing loudly in my head. But I carried on swimming away.

I swam for ages, until the problem with Jacob was something far, far away in my mind. Yes, something new took up my mind. In amongst the rocks and seaweed of the sea, I saw a turquoise glimmer. It was a tail, like mine! It had to be. Ecstatic and curious, I swam after it, through the plants and rocks. At every turn, I saw a bit more. More of a scaly tail, a hand, loose black hair. I stopped following, and dashed forward instead. There, in the water in front of me, was another mermaid. She had a turquoise tail, long – very long, it went down to her tail line – and indigo eyes, shaped oddly, almost sharp and slanted. She looked more like an elf than a mermaid. She stopped, since I was in her way, and stared at me with wide eyes. And she laughed. Not in a way that seemed she found something funny, but in a more chilling way. It made me shiver; all happiness shrank into a small ball in my mind. "Ivy." She said clearly, and I could hear her, oddly enough. She didn't extend a hand, so I didn't either.

"Bella." I smiled. She didn't return the expression.

"You live here?" She asked, her head tilting in an unusual gesture, almost inhuman.

"What, in America? Yeah." I saw her features cloud.

"America? The land here is America?" She seemed thoughtful for a moment, then held her hands up, and wiggled her fingers at me. "No, I meant in this section of water. I haven't seen another..."

"You live in the water?!" I gasped, still shocked that I could talk and breathe, never mind _stay_ here.

She frowned, and nodded. "Most of us do. Though I haven't met another in a very long time, have you?"

I shook my head. "I'm new to this. There are loads of mermaids? Wow. I just live on land..."

She scowled at me, as though I had just insulted her, and her angry eyes bored into mine. "What are you doing here, then? You don't belong. Leave." And then she was gone. I stared after her in shock, unsure whether to follow or not. In the end, I turned back and swam for the beach.

**There we go! :D**

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	4. Chapter 4

**Helloooo! Again, I haven't read this chapter properly yet, but I sure enjoyed writing it! It's a bit more... hyper than the others. Funny, I hope. :P It might be the sorriest excuse for a chapter you've ever laid your eyes on, but I liked writing it, and I hope you'll like reading it. Bella goes off the rails, at last! xD Please R&R? I got like... 2 reviews for the last one, a long time after I'd written it, and i was worrying for a while :/ I really hope you like this! x  
I don't own Twilight OR H2O:Just Add Water. **

As I travelled through the darkening water, I thought about the strange mermaid, Ivy. She really didn't make sense to me. She lived in the water, which was strange enough, but it seemed like it had changed the way she acted. The way she tilted her head, the strange hand gesture – _wiggling her fingers at me_ – and the way she spoke. And what about me 'not belonging' there? She had clearly been warped by the water. Even her features had changed. And there were more of them?

I managed to get back to the shore, and up to where my towel was. I could hear the full party had begun, and they were waiting for me. I put my hands on my tail and wondered how much Jacob had seen. Would he understand, would he be okay with it? I shivered, imagining As my hands sat there, the water on my tail began to evaporate away, as though heated. I stared at it happening, too shocked to move. There was a cloud of steam all above me. I did that. I reached a hand out to the sea water, and willed it to boil. And it did. So I can heat water. What else? I shook my head in shock, and vowed to meet Ivy again, ask her all about the oddities. At least I was dry now. My clothes were back, dry as before. I put my shoes on, and rolled the towel around my hair, like only a girl can. Then, I warily sprinted back up the beach to where the fire had been set up. It still wasn't dark yet, but rather in that state where the sun is nearly gone, and the moon is nearly there.

"Hey, Bella!" Some of the wolves hollered, laughing and shouting amongst themselves. I went and sat down beside Jacob, who didn't look shocked, or confused. In fact, he looked animated. "Bella, did you see that fish? When you went, a purple fish jumped by! Well, a purple tail. It was sooo cool!" I smiled, and shook my head. I looked away, and rolled my eyes. I didn't need to worry about Jacob Black finding out the truth.

"Hey guys." I said, joining in the conversation. Well, there wasn't one anymore. They were all messing around now. "So... have you caught Laurent yet?" I asked, diving right in, enjoying the atmosphere change.

"Who?" Jacob whispered, though I knew they could all guess _who_.

"You know, about yay-high, dreadlocks, red eyes... French? Vampire?" I looked around at them, watching them freeze.

"You call it _Laurent?_" Quil hissed, rubbing a large purple bruise on his arm. "Thing nearly snapped my arm in half!"

"He fought you?" I didn't know Laurent to be the fighting type. Perhaps not with _vampires_. Maybe werewolves were different.

"Like a banshee." Paul snarled. "You know the thing?" I could hear, no, _feel_ the suspicion in the air. They were wondering if I mingled with creatures like that. Well, I used to, only, the vampires I knew were better natured.

"Yes and no. I'm not friends with him... in fact, we're almost enemies. His coven leader was the one who wanted to kill me and tracked us all the way to Phoenix. I saw him the other night." Oops.

"Bella," Jacob laughed, forgetting his apology from earlier. "He isn't _your_ enemy. He would be the _Cullens'_ enemy, seeing as _they_ fought for you. You were like the objective." I restrained my hand from whipping out and smacking his face, barely. He then registered the rest of what I said. "You _saw_ him? Where? When? How?!" All the wolves leaned in, desperate to hear the information I had. I would have been coy about it, but it was hard to when they were serious, and dangerous. Most of them were already trembling, trying to restrain the change.

"I saw him in the forest. It was the day we argued. How I saw him? With my eyes."

"He meant, how did you see without it killing you?" Embry leaned in more, as though I was about to reaveal the secret to invisibility.

"Er..." I was too embarrassed to say I jumped in a pond, and that would suggest I'd been endangering myself, which Jacob did not like in the slightest. "I was just driving by, and I saw a figure in the trees." Bad excuse. Though that didn't seem vital. It didn't matter whether they believed me about that or not. They all shrugged, one by one.

"Doesn't matter. We'll get it soon enough." Someone mumbled, and there were other mutterings about murdering vampires.

"The meeting was yesterday, not today. Today, we're here to _party_." Jacob said cheesily. "Oh, look, full moon." He grinned at all his other wolfy pals, and they all raised their heads and howled in corny werewolf impressions. I had my back to the sea, where the moon was rising, so I turned to look, rolling my eyes at myself. There was something about full moons, and things like that, that you had to see for yourself, no matter how many people told you it was true. Like being warned not to touch wet paint; you have to touch it, just to make sure. I looked over the sea and saw the large, silver white ball in the sky. It looked like a cracker emerging from a bath of black liquid. And it was beautiful. I wanted to stare at it forever, or get closer. As close as possible. If I swam to the end of the sea, it might have been there, waiting on me. It reflected off the water, too. Just as pretty; like a white, shining sheet covering the darkness. Maybe if I just got there, it would be enough. The water it touched must have been special. I stood up, and walked around the gathered party, always facing the magnificent moon.

"Coming swimming?" I asked, only faintly aware of my voice. The pitch sounded off, too high pitched, excited. Well, I would be excited. The _moon!_

"Uh... Bella? I think it's a little dark. And you just got out. In fact... how did you dry your clothes?" A foolish voice spoke. It wasn't coming with me. It wouldn't let me go.

"But we need to reach the moon!" I cried, pouting. "We'll miss the magic. If we go _now_, we'll be able to touch the reflections _and_ the real moon! Come on!"

"Did anyone spike her drink?"

"She didn't have a drink...sea water... hypothermia... mental...?" I couldn't hear the words anymore, they all jumbled into a blurry noise. There was a face in front of me. Obstructing my view.

"Bella!" The voice shattered through to my mind, too loud. I frowned, glaring at the face, then laughed.

"It really lights up your long hair. Your girl hair." I giggled, grabbing strands of long, seaweed like black hair. "Girl hair. _Mermaid _hair." I amended. Yes, it made sense. These people could join me in the sea, and we'd be mermaids forever! No dry land. No more feet. I looked down at my own and sighed unhappily. "Feet. I hate feet. Toes. Nails. Skin. I want scales. I want a tail. Tonight it shall be _yellow!_ Yellow is a happy colour, Jacob." I told him, recalling his name. It was of most importance that he knew that yellow was a happy colour. "I bet you'd be jealous. Jealousy is a green colour. You'd all be green!" I smiled, looking from him to my feet again. "And you could have tails-" I frowned, thinking. There was something I wasn't allowed to tell him. Though maybe I had. I should. My tail was beautiful, and there was nothing he shouldn't know. "I have a-" But I couldn't say it, no matter that the words had formed. I shook my head and ignored it. "Go away, if you won't swim, you landlubbers'!" I yelled, jumping out of the way of Jacob, into the line of the moonlight. It was also a pretty daisy head. A white lily. Looking down on a lightbulb. Some people might have believed it looked like cheese. "What do you think the moon looks like?" I asked, nobody in particular. But then I remembered; they didn't know it like I did. It hadn't given them its secrets. They wouldn't see what I saw.

"I see a rock in the sky." Jacob, the boy with the girly, mermaid hair told me, slowly grabbing hold of my arm, just as my legs tensed for a run. Damn, the creature was clever.

"Ivy shall miss us! She is alone, she will want your company, girl hair." I told him, feeling like I knew the clever mermaid's secrets. The sea's secrets. Maybe they were the same. I tugged at his arm, feeling the desperate need to bring at least him to the sea with me.

"She's lost it, Jake, let her go," Someone laughed from behind us.

"She might have something wrong, and I can't let her in the water, not at dark, not in this drunken state," He replied quickly, panicking.

"Relax, mermaid hair. The water won't let me down. The moon won't let _it_. Plus, they love me. They love their children. It has told me secrets. Too secret for you, apparently. We can be free, in the water. Safe. I am strong there." I patted his arm

"She won't shut up about the moon, and the sea, let her go, Jacob."

"I can't!" He yelled, and it was a disturbance in my mind. Annoying.

"There is no anger, either. Unless you are red. You might grow a red tail. Like I might do. Or maybe you have a favourite colour, like Ivy." It all made sense, hearing her secrets. She chose a colour, where I couldn't. She chose that icy blue. "What is your favourite colour, mermaid hair?"

Rudely, he ignored me. "Bella, what's going on? Are you okay? Maybe she's delirous. Guys, nobody saw her hit her head, right? Who is Ivy?"

"We go to the sea, and you will meet her. You won't belong, and she will most certainly drown you, but we need to see her. Show her _I_ belong now. I feel the moon. The moon accepted me. And I belong!"

"How about we sit right here, and you explain to me, all about you belonging, and Ivy, and the moon and the sea? Sound good?" He smiled at me, and light reflected in his eyes, like he was being possessed by the moon, and how could I refuse the moon?

"Oh no, but I don't think I may reveal my secrets. For they are not only my secrets." But I was already wavering. What if this was a trick? What if this creature was here to make sure I really _did_ belong? He had moonlight in his eye. I maybe had to pass a verbal test.

"That's okay. Tell me all about the rest, while we stay _right here_?" He suggested. I felt my eyes narrow, but accepted. With one condition

"And we'll go to the moon afterward?"

"Absolutely." He nodded. I sank to the sandy towel, still facing the moon. Some other creatures were there, too. They all looked at me with amused expressions and _fire _in their eyes. Should they be trusted? I reached a hand out and doused the fire with icy powers. The wood remaining had frost on it. The fire was gone from there eyes. I smiled. All was well. Water's enemy was vanquished, for now. I didn't read their strange expressions, it would only stall me, and I wanted to swim!

"When I went to the sea, I hadn't been accepted. I had not endured the moon, so I didn't belong. The moon is like a test. When you are accepted, the moon tells you all the sea's secrets, not just the special one, which it told me yesterday. Ivy told me I didn't belong. _She_ belongs, she has endured the moon rise plenty of times. But now I _do_ belong, and the moon and sea love me, as I'm theirs. Ivy is just like me now. I need to live where Ivy lives. The sea wants me to come home. I'm needed back home!" I yelled, and stood up again. I was followed by the one with moon in his eyes. He stared at me in awe. I remembered showing them the secret, just a little one. I needed to get rid of the fire in their eyes. It had made me nervous. He was clutching one of the pieces of wood, one with ice coated on it. "Oops." I giggled. "You're the one with mermaid hair, aren't you? You'd belong, if you'd let me take you." I told him, trying to distract him. He grabbed my arm again, and this time I was tired of it. If he just came, I wouldn't need to keep secrets. I pulled free of his strong grasp with hopes he would follow me. He did. Some more of them did, too. I needed to distract _them_ now; I only trusted mermaid hair. I turned back to face them, having got a good distance toward the sea, and relight the fire with simply an outstretched palm. Perhaps fire _wasn't_ the enemy. But _they_ were. They all stopped, dumbfounded, and yelped when they saw the fire burst into flames. I laughed, almost hysterically, and yelled for mermaid haired moon eyes again. "If you don't follow me, you'll miss me!" I ran quicker once I was sure he pursued. My foot hit a rock by accident, and my shoe flew off, and I stood in a rockpool. Oh well, the sooner the better. I'd be able to get to the moon and sea quicker. "Ten! Nine! Eight!" I started counting down slowly, trying to reach the sea on time.

I looked over my shoulder to see mermaid hair was very close. Such a fast runner, but not as fast as a real mermaid. "Come on, slowpoke!" I laughed. "Seven... Six! Five! Four!" Not long now.

"Bella!" He yelled. I was nearly at the water. Maybe ten seconds away from it. Not fast enough. I sped up, kicking my feet up a little more. And he caught one. Like I said, I hate feet. And legs. Knobbly knees and thighs, feet and shoes. "What are you counting to?"

"Three, two one." I whispered, but he would hear. And then his grip became useless on my foot, for it wasn't there anymore. I turned around to look at my tail and smiled. Yellow, like I said. A cheerful yellow. The white light shone off the scales like they were gems. I laughed, wiggling it from side to side. "Didn't I tell you Jacob? Yellow is a happy colour."

**Sorry for the double author bit... xD  
Again, tell me what you think? I kind of enjoyed seeing Bella moonstruck. It's what I imagine she'd be like drunk... lol. Or maybe not. Oooh, so Jacob knows? Or did he know before? :S :P**

**  
I know basically my storyline, but I want to see if you guys agree, k? What do you think about the Cullens coming back? Or just, some more vampire association? Or none at all, just werewolves and Ivy? I mean, if vampires were involved, so would Ivy & the wolves. R&R, Tell me what you think! Ty, x  
I kinda like Ivy. I like the name. & the character. She's not just a filler, don't worry :P**

**Lot's o' love! xxx**

**Oh, btw, thanks to those who have reviewed, or read, or... whatever :P x **


	5. Chapter 5

When I woke up, I was outside, again. What a bad habit, I would really have to stop sleeping outside sometime. I knew I wasn't alone, because I could hear others breathing. And I could hear… heartbeats. Every little movement, I could hear it. I could _smell_ everything, too. Jacob's woody scent, and perspiration. The sand, the salty sea, even the forest. And there was another smell, a smell a little like the sea, a little like honey and sunshine. It smelt like vampires. I sat up in shock and happiness, jerking my eyes open. It was strange, since I'd had a dream about the Cullens. Well, Edward. I'd missed them more than I let myself know. But when I looked, I couldn't see any of them. Not a vampire. Instead, I could see Jacob, like I'd thought. He was leaning over me, but not looking at me. I followed his gaze silently to see a girl sitting at the other side of me. She was staring at him in disgust. It took me a minute, but I recognized her as Ivy. She had legs! She caught me looking at them, and a slight smile twitched on her lips, then she went back to looking at Jacob. "Such a foul beast to leer at me as long as this!" She told him, in her strange way of speaking. I realized then that her accent had a slight English lilt. Jacob didn't notice this, nor what she said. He just stared. Oh dear. "Oh, Bella. You are awake?" She smiled knowingly at me. "The moon is a powerful force, is she not? I'm glad your initiation was a happy one, mine, on the other hand…" Her eyes gained a faraway look, and she smiled. "Can you help me with this one?" She put her hand on Jacob's shoulder, and I understood that was her way of gesturing who she meant, though I would have guessed. "I've been explaining your behaviour for the past few hours, but frankly, I don't believe he could have heard me. He's not…" She searched for the word, "He's not… afflicted with an illness of the mind, is he?"

I shook my head. "He'll be okay in a few minutes, and I'll tell you then. I think he'd prefer to let you know, actually. So…what are we doing here? What are _you_ doing here? I thought you didn't go on land?"

"I don't. Well, I didn't, but see you interested me. Your plight last night amused me. You don't recall it, do you? The moonlight got to you, you belong now, Bella." Her hand was still on Jacob's shoulder, and she pulled back and slapped him. "Fool!" She hissed when he snapped out of it. "Now, what's wrong with him?"

"Bella!" He gasped, looking at me, hinting significance. "I-I… I thought… Do you think…?"

She slapped him again. "Talk sense, boy! Did you hear my explaination?"

"Y-yes." He stuttered. "So… you're Ivy, and you're a… mermaid? You're _both _mermaids?" He said in shock, which sounded a little like disgust.

"You're a werewolf," I retaliated.

"Werewolf?! Oh…" Ivy groaned. "You haven't, have you? Honestly, you have _imprinted_? Dear lord in the heavens." She mumbled, sounding _very_ annoyed.

"How would you know about that?" He asked, embarrassed.

"Why are we out here?!" I yelled. They should answer my question first, it had been out there the longest.

"Bella. The moon affected you, and you lost yourself. You've showed dear Mr. Black here the truth." She said his name bitterly, but smiled sweetly.

"Jacob, dear. I know a _lot_." By the look in her eyes, I wouldn't doubt her, and neither would Jacob. "Too much to be tied to the land…"She muttered, looking away. "How do you feel?" She looked back down at me, smiling again. "There are some differences, yes?"

"I can hear… see… My senses feel, different. Better. And, I'm tired. And confused." I said thoughtfully.

"I should hope so. All mermaids feel like that, but the enhanced senses are just something you'll get used to. And the strength." She once clapped, which I perceived to be her way of winking. "And you're tired because…"

She gripped my hand tightly, and suddenly, yesterday's scene floated into my mind. Only, it was from Ivy's view, far away in the rocks. I heard myself speak, fanciful gibberish about the moon and the sea, and I cringed. But I couldn't see myself, for at that time, Ivy was looking down at her own legs in annoyance, trying to get used to the feel of them. Then, she looked up at where I had been, and laughed quietly as I told them stupid things. My eyes had a mad glint, which she revelled in, enjoying the chaos and madness of the scene. She had been tempted to join me in confusing the strange boys that had been with me, but she restrained herself, knowing she would go for malice, and that would not be appreciated. We both had wanted to touch the moon, or at least its reflection. She had run at me when I was running for the sea, to join me in insanity. When I fell asleep, she had continued to pester the wolves – the strange boys, I now recognized them as what she meant before – and they had left, all except an entranced, enchanted Jacob Black, who had chattered to her through the moonstruck madness, when she didn't care what he said. Then, when the sun rose and she regained sense, _he_ had been the one who barely listened as she talked.

"I remember." I whispered, back from her memories.

"I should hope so." She said again. There was a moments silence, since nobody knew what to say. "Right. I would really enjoy returning to my home again, but I can't, can I?" She looked over to Jacob's grief-stricken face, with slightly less annoyance on her face. "I mean, I don't particularly want you to come looking for me. Well… I wouldn't mind a plaything, but…" She trailed off, looking at him properly now, and I nearly groaned. Jacob had once told me that the imprinted-on could never resist the imprinter, in one of his stories where he believed he had imprinted on me. Clearly, he was wrong. He was looking at Ivy now, like he'd move the whole ocean into his room, if it meant he could see her forever. And she was beginning to get the same look… I stood up between them, making them break apart, unless they wanted to remain all goo-goo eyes at my thighs. They both stood up too, Jacob looked happy, while Ivy looked disappointed, maybe that the moment didn't last, maybe at herself. I noticed her weird clothing; a raggedy old green-grey dress, with long sleeves and a dirty white frilly collar. There was a piece of the same green-gray material over her hair, as a hair band. She wore no shoes.

She didn't seem to mind my perplexed expression when I looked at her clothing. "It was the fashion, back in my day." She grinned. "Well, no, not really. This was the working class fashion. Slavery, practically."

"When are you from?" I whispered in shock.

She laughed, loudly. "Well, what year is it now? The nineteen hundreds? Well, I was human in the sixteen hundreds, if I remember right."

"We're immortal?!" I gasped. I wasn't going to be the only one out of my friends who aged?

"Goodness, yes. Do I look three hundred to you?"

"Um… it's the two thousands. Two-thousand-and-nine, actually." I corrected her quietly, still processing everything she's told me about my new self. She raised her eyebrows, like four hundred years was hard to believe, but three hundred was fine.

"I do believe I shall stay for a while, get to see what the world is like now. And visit America. Four hundred years, and I have only ever been in England and the sea?" She shook her head. "I can't believe it."

I stepped forward, and turned back around to face them. Fleetingly, I checked my feet, making sure both shoes were back, though I already knew from the texture of the soles, rather than rough sand. "Coming, then?" I asked them. Thankfully, they hadn't begun staring into each other's eyes again, yet.

"My lady?" Jacob said in a posh voice, holding out his hand for her to take. She stared at it in shock, as though it was an alien. A beautiful, sentimental alien.

"I can only remember one other gentleman to treat me like a lady," She whispered, and her eyes went all watery. Then she became as cynical as before, but jokingly. "Aren't you supposed to bow? And where is your gentleman's attire? I don't believe I knew men to be shirtless before." But she accepted his hand, and held it carefully, like it was made of glass. I watched them for a moment, unable to disturb them. I remembered the time when I was with Edward, how such simple actions like holding his cool hand would send a thrill through me.

"Come on then, Ivy." Jacob said softly, and we walked off the beach.

She was going to be living with me, much to Jacob's annoyance. We were going to tell Charlie she was a friend from La Push, and she was going to be in a play, hence the strange clothing she refused to change from, and the way she 'acted' surprised to see technology. Prying her from the car was hard enough. "So _this_ is the famous new contraption I've heard them talk about!" She exclaimed, staring at it with saucer eyes, carefully touching it. "All the mermaids I've met have told me it's amazing! How does it work?" I drove home wishing I could plug my ears as she 'Oooh'ed and 'Aaah'ed at all the things it could do.

At home, she marvelled at the doorbell. She answered the television's questions. She recoiled from the phone, toaster and other cooking appliances. The iron's pointed shape was burnt onto her hand. Sofas, carpets, vacuum cleaners, everything was shocking. I felt like I was housing a toddler, or a monkey. It was exhausting. In the end, I sat her down in front of the television, letting her experiment with the channels, while I relaxed.

Five minutes later, I was stressing again. Charlie. I'd told him we'd go out for dinner tonight. I wondered where he thought I'd been last night. I decided to say I'd stayed at Ivy's house. Perhaps she would have to come with us to dinner? Actually, Charlie probably wouldn't mind that. He always wanted to get involved in my life nowadays, get to know who I was friends with, and Ivy was an interesting character. Well, she could be, if we thought up interesting stories. We would see, she could always go back to La Push. But when Charlie came home, there was one thing we still hadn't covered. "Ivy, do you have a surname?" I asked, and slowly, her eyes detached from the television.

"…Yes." She said blankly.

"Do you remember it?" I already knew the answer.

"No, not really. I remember being in between two, when I left for the sea. I was betrothed, you see. I can't remember my original name. But I know the other. It still haunts me, even now." She shuddered, and I guessed I wouldn't get the tale. But I _had_ to ask.

"What happened? What was your name?"

"I… my betrothed and I were set to marry, but lots of things changed. His family members died, meaning he was in charge of catching up on their tasks, and had no time for a wife, as sad as that made him. Then, I became a mermaid, servant to the sea, no longer able to do my regular work, where water was involved – washing clothes, cooking, anything the family women had to do. I was disowned, as they couldn't deal with a 'lazy' woman, but were too kind to beat me. In that time, if I were to reveal my secret, I'd be hunted and killed for witchcraft. I would have told my betrothed, but you see, he would have killed me; it was one of his jobs, to hunt the supernatural. We grew distant… then he went missing, one day. Off the face of the earth. Stories went around that something evil, something nasty had got him." She paused, taking in a deep breath. She had seemed melancholy, up to that moment, where she frowned. "Some said he'd gone and got himself infected on one of the raids, vampire bites! Hah! The poor fool. The villagers hunted high and low for him, but never found a hair. So they turned to me. They said he _must_ have met with me again, what if _I_ were one, too? What if _I_ knew something? Of course, their logic was flawed, if he _had_ met me again, I'd have been killed by him. But lo and behold, when they got to me, I was alive, and I was different. They had _something_ to burn. I escaped by the skin of my teeth, cursing that man for all I was worth!" She had worked up an awful anger, and it made her already strange features look even stranger. Her slanted eyes were narrowed, making them look like cats eyes, and her lips were fixed in a snarl, making her look like a tiger, or a panther, which fit better, with her black hair.

Her story chilled me. It sounded oddly familiar, but I couldn't place it. "What would your name have been?" I asked her again, since she hadn't answered the first time.

She told me she'd rather not speak it, unless she had to. It seemed to have upset her too much, so I let it go. With a rueful smile, probably at her own memories, she turned back to the television. I tried to remember where I'd heard of something like her story. It wasn't exactly the same, though there were a few key features that caught my mind. I thought about it like it was _my_ life, or at least tried to imagine living in a situation like that, see if I got it. It was just one little thing niggling at my mind.

When Charlie got in, he thought Ivy was the best thing since Alice Cullen. He thought she was marvellous. He didn't bother asking any questions, so Ivy didn't even need to tell him her surname, much to her delight. We decided not to go out, since Charlie said he was too tired, and it would be awkward for Ivy, being taken out for a meal with me and my Dad, though she said she didn't mind. We ordered a pizza instead, and this time, I found it funny to see Ivy stare at the telephone when Charlie called the pizza place. Charlie was slightly amused, and he bought her story of trying to 'get into character' for her play, where she had to be fascinated by technology. When the doorbell rang, it was surprisingly early. "Pizza was quick," Charlie commented, heaving himself out of the armchair.

"Please, Mr. Swan, let me." Ivy said, still unwilling to call him Charlie.

"Alright." He grinned, making his eyes go all crinkly. "Bella, get a twenty out of my wallet. I think it's in my jacket." I followed Ivy to the hallway, and got Charlie's wallet out of his coat, carefully watching Ivy answer the door. She was standing on her tiptoes, smiling excitedly. When she opened her eyes, I saw the happiness fade instantly. Instead of grabbing pizza boxes from the figure – which didn't appear to have any boxes – she pulled back her arm, and punched the person's face, screaming at it. I stood, immobilized in shock as whoever it was fell to the ground with the force of her punch. I still couldn't see the face, but I could see the car. And it made my heart stop.

**Okay, i'm sure at least 3% of that made sense, maybe 2%. Okay, I don't have a clue. Thanks for reading, anyway. You guys are awesome! I got some great reviews, & i think you should be appreciated :P  
Lil Miss Biker  
Twilightluver04  
Team Rosalie  
VeggieGirl15  
Albino Porch Monkey _love the name! :P  
_darkangel1994  
JordyOrdy101**

**Thankyou, guys. x  
& Thanks to readers, people who have favourited/put an alert on this story, you're all faaab :D**

**Okay, I'm absolutely awful at cliffhangers... I think everyone will have an idea of who was at the door, & Ivy's second name... but guess, anyway? If you want? I still love Ivy. If she were in the real Twilight, she'd be my fav character. She's my fav in _this_, at least :P**

**& Twilightluver04, yes, this is regular pairings...yes. Methinks so. I'm not too keen on other pairings, even a bella/jacob story can make me annoyed... unless they're well written :P The only thing I didn't like was the Nessie/Jacob _**

**Lots o' love, R&R soonnnn! xxxxx**


	6. Chapter 6

Charlie ran through into the hallway, going all police chief. I was just as startled, but I didn't move. Ivy _Cullen_. It's a small world. So Ivy knew Carlisle back in the 1600's, and they were to get married. And he _would _appear after she told me the story. Speak of the devil, and the devil shall appear. But why? I shook my head, dispelling all wonders until we got Ivy to stop beating him. She was sitting on his chest, throwing heavy punches, slaps, and even scratching his cheeks. Oddly enough, he didn't retaliate; he just sat there, dumbfounded.

"You-" _Slap_ "Should-" _Punch_ "Never-" She raked her nails on his face, "_Have left me!"_ She emphasized with more punches. He would never get bruises, or marks from slaps, but when she scratched, it made a high keening sound and there were white, bloodless welts all over his face. She then seemed satisfied, just to sit there, not letting him up. For once, Charlie was too surprised to act. I think he thought I'd got an anti-Cullen bodyguard, as he appeared to be smiling. Strange man. Ivy turned back to face me, "I got him, Bella! After all these years, I got him back. This is the one!" She didn't seem to wonder _why_ he was on my doorstep, or who the other vampire in the car was. A little, black haired pixie girl was sitting in the passenger seat, her face glowing slightly in the car's overhead light. She had her eyes closed, and a stressful look on her face. Carlisle, who had his face all scrunched up, seemed to realize the attack had – kind of – stopped.

"Alice!" He yelled in a panicky voice. She looked up, and her eyes locked on my face, instantly brightening up. She mouthed my name happily, and continued to look for Carlisle. It actually took her a minute to comprehend his situation, and when she did, she gasped audibly, and leapt out the car, opening a pink umbrella as she shut the door. Oh, hell.

"Ivy!" I yelled, trapped in the doorway, unable to go near the rain. She looked up quickly, squinting at the darkening sky. She muttered a low oath, before standing up and pulling Carlisle with her to the door. Alice got in just before she slammed it shut. "Alice! What are you doing here?!" I cried, decidedly ignoring all other scenes for a second. I could hardly believe it. They were back!

Her glance shot to Charlie quickly, and I realized it wasn't as simple as 'We decided to come back to Forks'. There was something supernatural. "Oh, y'know. We're just visiting." She smiled, but there was a hint of worry in her expression. Something bad had happened. I hugged her, but I wanted to know the bad news before the good news. "I'm so sorry," She whispered in my ear. "We should never have left." I pulled back to look at her, smiling ruefully. I shook my head.

"Nah, you guys had to go. I mean, there was nothing keeping you _here_, right? It would be unfair to keep you guys from going on to bigger, better things, and that's all I was doing, right?" The words felt fragile. They had been spoken so many times, helping me slowly get over them going, and now they seemed fake. No matter, nobody could deny the smile on my face as I spoke them. She shook her head at me, smiling, in an emotion I didn't try understand. We both turned to look at the situation going on around us.

Charlie had decided to _do_ something, but he was having trouble keeping the smile from his face as he kept Ivy away from Carlisle. "I'm so sorry, Dr. Cullen. I hardly know the girl, I don't know what's got into her." He stammered apologies, since he was using most of his strength holding the mermaid girl back. Luckily, it wasn't a lot harder for him, as she had no tail; she'd dried off the spots of water before too late.

"It's okay, Mr. Swan, _he _knows," Ivy spat, glaring at Carlisle.

"Who _are_ you?" Carlisle asked, looking at her in confusion.

Oh dear.

That simple sentence set off fireworks. Ivy was screaming, yelling, howling, crying; everything she meant to say unintelligible. She was off the rails; Charlie couldn't hold her anymore. But when she broke free, she only slapped Carlisle, before sinking to the floor. I would have thought it melodramatic, but I knew that four hundred years was a long time for mental wounds to fester. Six months had been hard enough for me, so far. I just hoped that this reunion would make it the end of my suffering. I would be crazier than Ivy if I was left for as long as her, no matter how deep under the surface my pain was hidden.

"How can you not _remember_ me?!" She whispered incredulously. "I lost my_ family_ because of you, my_ life!_ All those years ago…" She started crying, and stopped responding.

I tried to pull her up, so we could both talk to Carlisle and Alice about this, but she wouldn't move. Discreetly, I tried to move her using my powers, just to have her in the same room, to hear my excuses would be enough. But she glared up at me, and swatted a hand. I couldn't do anything to her from that point on. So I left her behind. The two Cullens and I sat down in the kitchen, and they both stared at me expectantly. I knew Ivy wouldn't like my plan, but I had it, and it was convincing enough. "That was Ivy, she's my cousin. Sorry about that, Carlisle." I whispered, and he nodded gratefully. I knew that the kind doctor wouldn't be too annoyed about it, just confused. "When she was younger, my aunt and uncle died in a car accident, though they could have been saved. They left behind their only daughter… she's slightly unwell… mentally. Of course, with the loss, it made things harder for her, and she believes you're someone who could have stopped her parents dying. She doesn't take kindly to strangers, but that… I don't know _how_ she knew you were a doctor." I told them, feeling rotten for lying, but not wanting them to know my – our – secret, just yet. I didn't want them to stay because I was shiny and new, if they were going to stay at all. "So tell me, why are _you_ here?" I asked, and they shared a look.

"Bella…" Alice said carefully, sounding upset. I feared the worst, things I couldn't even mentally articulate. "You disappeared from my visions. We thought you had died."

"When?" I asked, confused.

"It was two days ago, I looked, just to see how you were getting on – I swear, it was my first time looking, I wasn't spying on you, Bella – and I saw you in the forest, in… Edward's meadow, and you jumped in a pond, and didn't come back out. We thought the worst."

She couldn't see me, not as a mermaid. That was the night it happened, the night I changed. "I don't have a clue, Alice." I shrugged. "But I'm here, fine and dandy."

"I didn't see Ivy, either. I didn't anticipate her attack, that's why I didn't look at first. I was still searching for you."

"Maybe it was just… the… time we've spent apart…" I said slowly, quietly.

She shook her head. "No, because I still can't see you in my visions."

"Now, how do you know that? You haven't checked," I smiled. She seemed to think about that, then shut her eyes and tried again.

"Nope, nothing." She sighed. "I'm not losing my powers. I can't be! I can see the rest of the family just fine!" She sounded frightened, and it just melted my heart. I got up, and walked around the table to hug her. We stayed like that for a while, until I heard Alice mumble, "Ew, you're hair _really_ needs treated." I pulled back, scowling, at feeling my hair. It felt dry, and tangled. It would be all the sea water and lack of showers where I didn't pass out. "What have you been doing, living in the sea?"

"Close enough," I laughed.

"Come on, I've got my suitcase in the car, it has _loads_ of hair cosmetics. We'll get it washed, it must be _really_ uncomfortable."

Oh no. I was stuck on that slippery slope that would lead to Barbie Bella, therefore her finding out about me. No matter how many times I protested, it wouldn't work. "Oh, Alice, it's fine. It just needs washed, I can do it in the morning." I sighed.

"Oh, but it's worse than that. Split ends, big clumps knotted together. I mean, where is your parting?" She began inspecting my hair, plucking through it like a monkey looking through another monkey's fur. "It needs Alice's treatment. Plus, we need a little girl time, to talk and stuff. I've missed you sooo much! Don't deny me this, Bella-bel."

"_Bella-bel?"_ I asked, confused.

"Yeah, I don't know, it just popped into my head." She laughed. "Haven't you missed me?" She whispered, sounding heartbroken.

"Of course I missed you!" I told her, and like that, she very nearly had me.

"I'm going to go get my stuff!" She yelled, running away to the door. I realized that I was alone, so I listened for Carlisle. He must have walked through to talk to Charlie while Alice and I were talking. I decided to go see how Ivy was doing. Not too well. She was still sitting in the hallway, staring at nothing.

"Look," I said, sitting down next to her. "I know you love him-"

"I don't _love_ him, I _hate_ him." She interrupted.

"Okay, I know he hurt you, but that was a long time ago. You would have left England anyway, or at least moved on."

"Yes, but it wasn't just that. To see all your family and friends hate you, want to see you burn, because someone you were associated had left you, it was… horrifying. He condemned me. And he didn't trust me to return to me. And I thought he would recognize me, think of me every once in a while. I mean, I _did_ love him. It hurt enough to lose him. I forever regretted the day he left on the raid. There were so many things I could have done differently." She said miserably.

"So you don't really hate _Carlisle…_" I said quietly. "You missed him, and felt like you could have done better for him?" She stared at me. "Yeah, I know. His adoptive son left me. Strange huh?" I could hear Alice coming back, "Want to join me and Alice? She's great, one of my best friends." She looked at me, and nodded. "Okay, but you need to tell her you're my cousin, okay?" She nodded, and we both stood up as Alice walked through the front door again.

"Oh, hey Ivy! I'm Alice," She grinned, holding out her hand for Ivy to shake. Ivy didn't take it. Alice seemed quite unsure what to do, but she kept the smile. "Are you getting a makeover too?" Alice said happily.

"I might," Ivy said warily.

"O..kay." Alice said, though she didn't let Ivy's distance dampen her mood. "Come on!" She said, pulling me upstairs, and I pulled Ivy along. "Okay, if you go fix your hair, I'll sort it when you get out?" She said with the manner of a beautician.

"Okay, hang on, let me get a towel, and my hairdryer," I said, dashing past them to get my stuff.

"Woah, woah wow!" Alice said, holding me still. "_Hairdryer_? In the bathroom? Safety implications aside, I thought I was going to fix your hair?"

"It'll be fine, Alice. I'll do it." I sighed.

"Bella, go on, in the shower. See you in a minute," She said, pulling me back from my room and gently pushing me in the shower. I saw Ivy give me a panicked look, wondering what was up with Alice, running the scene like that. To be honest, I didn't mind her being bossy, or her tendency to want to doll me up like a Barbie. I minded the current situation. I could easily dry my hair myself, without the drier, but then she would want to rewet it, & be confused as to how I'd dried it. And if I left my hair, I'd have to have a tail, too. I was utterly stuck on what to do.

Either way, my hair _did _need washed, so I did that. I very nearly forgot to sit down, so I didn't fall in the shower, but I remembered at the last second. Today, my tail was grey, with a rainbowy sheen. Apprehension and worry, with colourful possibilities. I dried off in the shower, instead of trying to drag my tail outside. My hair dried with the rest of me, and there was nothing I could do about it. I walked back into my room, where Alice and Ivy were staring each other down. Somehow, neither noticed I'd walked back in.

"I _know_ you're not Bella's cousin. I _know_ there's something weird going on. Please, just tell me?" Alice was saying.

"Uh… hey, guys." I said, feeling myself blush. I don't know how she did it, but Alice knew something was up.

"Bella! Oh, hey, you dried your hair! How'd you do that?" Alice said, coming over to look at it. I scrambled for an explanation, and it wasn't missed. "Never mind." She smiled. "So…" She began, grabbing her straighteners, which had been heating while I was in the shower. She directed me to sit on a stool and began combing through my hair. "What have you guys been up to… since… we left?" She asked. "Have you been here the whole time, Ivy?"

"Nope, I just came today," Ivy said quietly.

"Oh, sorry. We've sorta spoilt your time with your uncle and Bella, huh?"

"Not really." Ivy replied.

"Huh. So, what about you, Bella? Up to much?" I could hear the double meaning in her words, and understood why she was acting strange…er than normal. She was trying to pry information about whatever was up.

"No, nothing really." I told her. "What about you? What have you guys been doing?"

"Well… not much really. We went to see the Denali's in Alaska, Esme's renovating a house, Jasper's studying philosophy, Rosalie and Emmett are on another honeymoon, and Carlisle had to go on a medical trip down south, so I went with, to pop in to see you. And that's it, really."

"What about… Edward?" I asked, unsure of what I wanted the answer to be. 'Nothing at all', isn't quite it, that makes him sound miserable, which I know he won't be, but I dreaded her telling me about a party lifestyle, where he picks up new girlfriends daily.

"Not a lot," I could hear the grimace in her voice, and wondered whether that was sarcasm or sorrow.

"Oh." Was all I had to say.

"Right, I'm just gonna spray your hair with water a bit, to help the straighteners work better." She said.

"No!" I gasped, standing up and moving away. She raised an eyebrow, and Ivy looked at me like she could punch me, too. "Not on this carpet!"

"It's wood."

"Not on this wood!" I could have slapped _myself_.

"Okay," She sighed, looking defeated, but there was a pensive look in her eyes. "You thirsty? I think I'll go get water,"

"No!" _Arrrrg!_ She _knew!_

"Okay, well I think your little cactus plants are a little thirsty, I'll go get them some water." She was back in seconds with a glass of water in her hands. And right in front of me was an uneven plank of wood, jutting out. She saw it, and tripped on it, before I did. The water went all over me.

"Alice! You little… _gremlin!_" I yelled. "Shut the door, quick!"

"Ugh… I don't know why _you_ were chosen, you're awful at this," Ivy grumbled, just as I changed.

"Hah! I _knew_ something was up! What'd I say! Well, thought. But still! I _knew _it! No wonder I can't see you guys! That means you're a… er… mermaid too, right Ivy? Oh my god, I hardly even need visions to know things!" She gloated for another minute. "But wow, that's amazing!"

"Witch. Gremlin…_ Leprechaun." _I said angrily. She gasped, hurt.

"I'm not a leprechaun." She pouted.

I laughed sarcastically, drying myself off. I think I bruised my chin when I fell forward. Damned Alice!

**Eheheheh. **

**I wanted to see Carlisle get the crap beat outa him, not cause I don't like him, but.. y'know. He's okay with it. :D**

**& Alice _had_ to be scheming. :P**

**Tell me what you think? & what you want to happen? Personally, I'd like to see all the Cullens sooner rather than later, & have some fun with keeping the secret, but that's up to you, I'll write what you'll read - if I can. I'm honestly not going to make Emmett the third mermaid, k? lolol.**

**& I'm glad you appreciated being appreciated, & I'm glad I got guesses! You guys are all fabuloustastic**

**Lots 'o loveee! xxx**


	7. Chapter 7

We all walked down the stairs, after a good-natured fight. Okay, it was more like hilarious revenge. But I'd got Alice. Her too small feet clunked loudly on the stairs, stuck to her shoes with ice. The bottom of her trouser legs were frozen solid too, but it was all okay. And naturally, wherever wasn't frozen was drenched in water from the air. She'd got Ivy and I, too. I didn't know about the other mermaid, but I had been soaked so many times, I kept on having to make these were my legs, not a tail. And I felt a little seasick, like I was walking along on a boat. Hadn't got my land legs back, they would say. If I ever had them in the first place, _clumsy ol' Bella_. While I tried not to get too dizzy and fall over, I heard Alice and Ivy chatting away behind me. There was none of that awkwardness now, though I suppose having a supernatural version of a pillow fight did clear things up a bit. I was glad they were friends. Currently, they were talking about Carlisle, oddly enough. Ivy had told Alice about their joint past, and now they were gossiping about him like sisters. Then I had a horrible thought. Esme. Would Ivy be annoyed, even just a teensy bit, that her long lost ex-fiancé had a wife that he'd chosen to change over her? Wouldn't it be strange for them to be near each other? Not that I wholly believed that would happen, but still. I turned to look at them, and mentally shook my head. Nah, she didn't care for him. What she felt now was just an old copy of the anger she once had for him. Plus, she sort of had Jake. I stopped thinking about it; it was strange to think of Carlisle - who had once been close to a father-figure for me – in a centuries old love triangle. He didn't even know it.

We got to the living room just on time to catch the start of a new conversation. "… Yeah, definitely big dogs, almost like bears! We've already found one victim, throat ripped open and…" Charlie trailed off as we walked into the room. _Not for the ears of young ladies_. I thought sarcastically. It didn't matter, I'd heard enough, and certainly knew more about the case than he could ever know. Apparently, there had been sightings of giant wolves, or bears, in the La Push region. Really, they were werewolves. And a ripped open throat didn't sound like a werewolf attack. It sounded like _vampires_. Ravenous vampires. Clearly, we were all – except Charlie – on the same thought train. Carlisle and Alice; though they had no blood to leave their faces, clearly paled. Ivy froze, and me, being the inconspicuous one, groaned and rolled my eyes. So they _hadn't_ caught Laurent. Well, to be honest, they didn't have long to try, but they still had _some_ time. Lazy ass dogs. Not that I could do any better, of course.

They all looked at me, confused. "Well," I mumbled, trying to cover up what I'd started. But I found I couldn't finish. I was going to say, 'it wouldn't be an animal, animals would have eaten the body', but that would lead to human suspects, and vampires… and I just didn't want to put that information out there. "Well!" I repeated, making it sound like an 'anyway'. Alice nudged me with her foot, meaning to be light, but her 'ice boots' packed a punch. There was a long silence, until Alice dragged me out into the hall. Naturally, Ivy followed.

"Do you know about it?" Alice asked instantly.

"It's Laurent." I replied, absolutely certain.

"Laurent?" Ivy asked, narrowing her eyes, a slight smile playing on her lips.

"Yes," I sighed. "Don't tell me: you were meant to marry him, too were you?"

"No," She said, sounding hurt. "Black, dreadlocked hair, only four toes on one foot, shared company with a redheaded female vampire… Victoria, and a blonde haired… attractive male vampire…" She couldn't remember the name. She shrugged. Alice and I stared at her in awe.

"How do you know them?" Alice asked quietly.

"Oh, I don't, really. I think they used to like the sea. I know that the one called Laurent is deadly afraid of little sharks." She snapped her teeth loudly, grinning. I blinked, shook my head quickly, and looked at Alice, who was smiling, trying not to laugh.

"How do you know it was Laurent?" Alice addressed me, eyes narrowed.

"I saw him a few days ago, and Jacob confirmed it." I said confidently, then realized that Alice didn't know about the werewolves.

"How would _Jacob Black_ know… ahh." She said, frowning. "Werewolves?" I nodded. "Gosh, and I thought Forks would be _safer_ without us Cullens around. Apparently not. So, what do we have… hungry vampire, pack of mongrel dogs? Anything else? Oh yeah, your sudden phobia of water in public. Perfect. Just perfect." She groaned, and hit the back of her head on the wall. "And I couldn't see _any_ of this coming! How good a friend am I?!"

"It's not in your obligation to protect me, Alice. You guys left, meaning the end of involvement with my business. And don't call the pack mongrels, some of my best friends are part of that pack!" I told her, and she gaped.

"Bella, you can't be friends with werewolves! They're dangerous!" She gasped, staring at me with wide, worried eyes.

"Says the vampire," Ivy remarked. "Jacob Black imprinted on me," She said impassively, randomly.

"You… he… Hang on!" Alice told her, looking utterly flabbergasted. She looked back to me, pretending she hadn't heard Ivy, just for a moment. She looked tired, and stressed, though she couldn't sleep. If there was ever going to be proof of people randomly spontaneously combusting, Alice would be the first. "Bella, I know that being friends with _me_ isn't exactly the best choice you can make, but you can't hang around with _every_ abnormal person you come across! I hope to _God_ there is no such thing as demons."

"Demons _do_ exist. Don't like swimming much. Taste like barbeques." Ivy said, but I think she was lying. I hoped she was lying. Either way, we both ignored her.

"I wouldn't be _that_ stupid, Alice." I said, though I knew that was a little bit of a lie. I'd probably be stuck –unwillingly! – in some kind of dilemma to do with a demon, knowing my luck. She just raised her eyebrows at me.

"I think we should take you two out of Forks for a while," She sighed.

"What?! Why? I'm as strong as you, as fast as you, and my senses are almost as good! I can look after myself," I scowled.

"Yeah, I know all that." She waved a hand dismissively. "But you're not as indestructible as I am. You still have blood. You can easily be cut, or broken. All someone would need to do would be to flick water at you, then they could hurt you all they wanted, when you'd be helpless on the floor."

I glowered at her, and pointedly melted the ice around her feet and ankles.

"Good point," She said, but I could tell she wasn't convinced. "But what if your hands were tied? You need your hands to direct, create the action, right? That'd be useless if you were _really_ wanted killed."

"That's the thing, who _really_ wants me killed?!"

"And why did you say _two_ of you? _I'm_ not going," Ivy pouted.

"And where would you take us?" I asked.

Alice rolled her eyes, and looked stressed, again. "Look, Bella. Laurent had some connections with a vampire who wanted you dead, right? And he probably still knows Victoria, who I'm sure would not have taken it lightly that you were the reason her mate got killed. There's a high chance they're back for revenge. And Ivy, you don't have to come if you don't want to; I'm sure they won't want to kill you, and you can always chew their toes off." Alice smiled a clever smile.

Faced with the choice of being left behind by her two new friends, she didn't seem so sure anymore. "…No, no, I'll go. Jacob won't be able to hang about as much, and Bella might need a mermaid comrade. Plus, I've gone a long time without a good adventure." She smiled, and though Alice seemed to know she would say that, it made her at least feel like she'd had the choice.

"Good." Alice grinned. "We'll go back to Denali,"

"What, Alaska, where it's snowy – indecisive ice water – and wet?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.

"You live in _Forks_!" Alice retorted. "Living in the rainy season since 1900! And before that!"

"Alice, this plan of yours is seriously messed up. You're taking us away from the danger of _one_ vampire-"

"And werewolves!" She cut in.

"And _friends_, when we can handle ourselves, and you're going to take us to snowy Alaska, to live with-" To live with the _Cullens_. And the Denalis. I couldn't go back to the family that had rejected me. Sure, Alice and Carlisle were visiting, on Carlisle's part maybe just making sure there wasn't any guilt problems, any guilt the family would have, but if I were to go back to _them_, it would be like I was a nutcase they couldn't get rid of.

"Live with my family for a while, yeah. Esme, Jasper, Emmett, Rosalie, Carlisle, Me and Edward! Plus Tanya and co." She stopped, and thought for a moment. "Oh yeah, Edward. Oops. I sometimes forget, y'know, what with the… never mind. So how are you feeling about that? I know it must have been really hard, it was hard for all us, but, what about you?"

"I'm okay." I said, robotically and quickly.

"Hmm…" She looked right through that lie, though it was easily recognized as false. "Silly lovebirds, you know you spend so much time being miserable, it's a shame." She shook her head sadly.

"What?" I said, frowning.

"Forget it." She smiled quickly. "Not my business."

"Anyway, I'm not going." I shook my head, and smiled ruefully.

"Bella," Alice scowled. "Okay, if you won't think of it as a friend looking after another friend, think of it as a reunion?" She read my frightened expression, and her scowl intensified. "Okay, a girls holiday… plus Carlisle."

I glowered at her, knowing I couldn't win, but being stubborn anyway. "Isabella Marie Swan, you are coming on this holiday, whether you will enjoy it or not!" Alice said in a motherly tone, but she was grinning.

"Isabella Marie?!" Ivy sniggered.

"What's your middle name, then?" I asked, embarrassed. I quite liked my middle name.

She stood up straight, proud. "Ivy Temperance Margareta… Cullen, I guess. Still can't remember my real surname."

I laughed at her name, and she scowled, but smiled, a little angrily.

A few uneventful days later, Alice had arranged the little 'holiday'. Charlie had seemed a little wary of me going to the Cullen's, but after plenty of reassurances from Alice, he was grudgingly okay with it. Carlisle thought it was a brilliant idea, though he was a little worried about Ivy, especially since she had stopped being so angry around him, and actually acted… sociable, when he and Alice visited. She did try shake him up, like she were a ghost bride following an ex around. Whenever he was around, she talked mournfully about her parents; Alfred and Constantine, and it noticeably unnerved Carlisle, like he was thinking of some long lost memory. I warned her several times, it was only a matter of days before he remembered her. She just smiled, and told me he would pay for forgetting. I told her I believed he already _had_ paid a considerable amount.

On the night we were due to leave, I was fully packed. I had decided to take double, so Ivy had some clothes, too. She had been borrowing mine since she got here and I threatened to cut that ridiculous old dress from her if she didn't at least let me wash it. It was quite late, but too early for when Alice said they'd come for us, so I was surprised to hear the doorbell ring. Charlie got to the door first, and opened it to reveal two olive skinned, gold eyed vampires. "Why hello there," The woman said enthusiastically, her words laced with a Spanish accent. She was dressed casually, as though she was any other regular human. As was the man. Their casual clothes were drenched, as was their hair, though they still looked immaculately perfect. I was glad I was out of the rain's way, but hoped it would stop before we had to go.

"Hello." He said, and his voice also sounded Spanish. "We're your new neighbours. This is my wife Carmen-" The woman gave a little wave, "And I am Eleazar. And you are?" He said politely. It dawned on me then that through all this arranging and strange supernatural goings on that I had not found a way of ensuring Charlie's safety. Alice, or Carlisle, clearly had. Carmen and Eleazar; I recognized the names and descriptions to know they were of the Denali family.

"I'm Charlie. Charlie Swan."

"Oh, the Police Chief?" Carmen laughed. "We'll be safe here, then, Eleazar!" She said happily, and grinned at me. "And this is Bella? Goodness, such a _bella_ she is!" I appreciated the compliment, and the Spanish.

"Gracias," I grinned. She picked up on the double meaning. I was also saying thanks to them for coming, especially since I'd forgotten.

"How do you know about Bella?" Charlie asked.

"The town of Forks is so small, we were practically told about everyone. I'm surprised they didn't have a people dictionary," Eleazar laughed, a deep, booming laugh.

"It's been nice meeting you, Mr. Swan, but we must get back home, it's been a long week." Carmen sighed, and they left soon after.

After they'd left, Alice and Carlisle appeared. It hadn't stopped raining, unfortunately. I remembered to say thanks to them, too. I was feeling guilty about forgetting, Alice told me she knew it would have been brought up by me, sooner or later. Carlisle carried our suitcases to the shiny black Mercedes while we said our goodbyes to Charlie. Then, we made a dash through the rain to the car, fully covered up. My hyperactive, pixie friend, my 400 year old, insane, slightly cannibal friend, a slightly forgetful Carlisle and I were going to see the Cullens again. I'd never felt so excited, awkward, or terrified in all my life.

**Sorry, short chapter :/**

**R&R? Thanks. I enjoyed writing it to be a bit funnier... well, it was to me :D**

**Thanks for the reviews, keep em' comin! lolol**

**Kay, I'm tired, will write more tomorrow!**

**Byeee! xxxx**


	8. Chapter 8

It was a long journey to Alaska, but Carlisle drove _really_ fast; I swear, I don't think the speedometer went lower than 100mph. It still took a long time, we were going far from Forks. Alice and Carlisle were filling Ivy in on the family members' appearances and personalities, since she'd never met them. I told her about them too, but it upset me. I didn't expect to get all teary, but I knew tears were just waiting for me to blink. When I visited them, it wouldn't be a warm welcome, it'd be an awkward 'hello, I thought we'd got rid of you'. Nobody else seemed to think I was being forced upon them again.

"Esme, well, she's my wife-" Carlisle started, making Ivy flinch. "And we've known each other for nearly ninety years now. You'll be able to tell which one of us she is – she's our family's mother figure, and she suits the role. She loves our adoptive children as though they really are her own."

"She's the one with long brown hair," Alice said. She couldn't really say 'she's really pale,' or 'she's got golden eyes', because they all did.

"Then there's the 'kids'. Rosalie and Emmett are a couple, very well matched." Carlisle's smile was visible from the back seats.

"In other words, he's like a soccer player, and she suits being a footballer's wife." Alice laughed.

"Rosalie prides herself on her beauty… and can be a little cold. She doesn't like intruders to our family, and can be jealous. But I know she has a kind heart, really." Carlisle said, believing the best in everyone, even where it hardly existed.

"Rosalie didn't like me when they lived in Forks," I said ruefully, wishing she had. "She's the one with blonde hair, and is incredibly pretty."

"Emmett is strong, but stupid," Alice grinned. "He likes to think of himself as the strongest of us, but don't believe him, I can beat him anyday," She laughed, showing she was kidding. "He's got short dark hair, and is tall and covered in muscles. He's dead friendly though, likes to give people bear hugs. Don't be shocked if he hugs you," Alice warned playfully.

"Jasper is the tall, thin one, with blonde hair-"

"Jazzy is the handsomest, friendliest, bravest…" Alice said pretending to go all dreamy-eyes.

"Jasper and Alice are married," I informed her. "He can feel and control emotions," Oops. I forgot: Carlisle didn't know Ivy knew about vampires. I ignored his sharp intake of breath, and carried on.

"Freaky," She murmured. The word sounded weird coming from her, it was too… too 1960's.

"And then there's me!" Alice chirped. "But you know me. There's also Edward, he and Bella are…" She stopped talking, and thought about what she was going to say. I watched her steadily, as though I could burrow into her mind and know what she was thinking. "Edward and Bella are on a break." She smiled a big, cheesy grin, showing her perfect, white teeth. I remembered the quote from _Friends_, and scowled. _So_ not true. "But he's the youngest," Alice remembered the pretend to be human façade for Carlisle, because Edward was one of the _oldest_. "He's got messy, browny-red hair, but we might not see him for a while." She paused, and I decided I didn't want to hear her tell us about how he was always at clubs and parties, but I couldn't help it. I was surprised. "He's going through some kind of 'Phantom of the Opera' phase. We always hear music, but we never see the composer. But he might come down for visitors." She sounded a little doubtful. "Or he might go homicidal…" She murmured, and I wouldn't have heard it, if I didn't have my new enhanced senses. I think Alice had forgotten. Hearing this about Edward had really shocked me, and it hurt more to hear that than any other story she could have told me. Though I wasn't sure why.

"Poof!" Ivy coughed into her fist, and again, her language confused me, but then I could never be sure what she'd heard during her time in the sea. And Jake would probably be a modern influence on her. I wondered if she had told him about her holiday, or her past with Carlisle. Granted, he'd flip about both.

"And I called Esme the other day, the Denali's are coming to our Forks mansion, apparently," Carlisle said, ignoring Ivy.

"That's a shame. Do you know why?" Alice asked.

He shook his head, just a golden sunshine from behind. "But, you know Tanya. She doesn't like having out of family visitors… she has a lot of secrets… she finds it hard to keep them," He said, deftly covering up the true meaning of his words.

"Carlisle." Alice said, "Ivy knows about vampires."

The car fell into a strange silence. "What do you mean by _vampires_?" Carlisle laughed nervously. "Everyone knows about vampires. Dracula, Anne Rice, things like that."

"No, she knows about _us._ How do you expect us to have kept the secret if she didn't? We're good, but we're not _that_ good." Alice said.

Suddenly, Carlisle turned deadly serious. "How did she find out? Bella… Bella, you didn't share the secret, did you? It wasn't yours to share." He said, sounding angry and panicked. I understood why, what could happen if any old human found out.

"No!" I cried. "I would never!"

"It's true, she didn't." Ivy grumbled. "Though that would be a lot easier. I do wish that was the case."

Suddenly, the car had stopped by the side of the road. Carlisle turned around in his chair to face us. His golden eyes bored right onto Ivy. "Who _are_ you?" He hissed in confusion.

She stared at him delinquently, untroubled. "You know it bothers me when you ask me that, dearest." She smirked. He looked angry. Very angry. Not at her, but angry all the same. Then, everything cleared off his face. All expression. Slowly, his eyes widened.

"_Ivy?_ Ivy… Temperance… Margareta Robertson?" He gasped. He looked so sure of himself, I thought that her little game was up. But she wasn't as simple as that.

"_Who?_ I'm Ivy Louise Swan." She said, looking confused. Carlisle frowned, looking pained by the workings of his own mind. He turned back around, shaking his head, and started the car again.

Of course, Ivy sat beside me, muffling laughter as Alice scowled at her. "Robertson, that was the name!" She mouthed to us. Alice frowned, shook her head, and looked out the window. That didn't go unnoticed. She silently turned to look at me, and I gave her a look as though to say 'you probably shouldn't have done that.' She grimaced, confirming I was right. She thought for a minute, then, since she was in the middle of the back seats, she was able to lean forward and peck Carlisle on the cheek. "Thank you for remembering me, Mr. Cullen." She whispered, letting go of the past. Of course, he would ask more about it, how she had survived, what had happened, but at the moment, it was history.

Carlisle smiled a small smile, and carried on driving. Apparently we would be there in a few hours. I thought I would be too keyed up to sleep, but eventually, I felt myself dozing off, and then asleep. I didn't dream, and if I did, I couldn't remember. But I was shocked awake. I felt cold spots on my face, and slowly opened my eyes in confusion. I was sitting behind Carlisle, and he had opened the window. The wind rushed past him onto me. The cold was snow flitting through the open window and hitting me. I yelped in surprise and alarm, which woke Ivy, and brought Alice out of a vision. I panicked, wiping my face with my bare hands, but it was too late. I sat there, tail and scales and all, as soaked as though I'd just had a shower.

"Just half an hour left, girls," Carlisle said cheerfully. And the window was still spitting snow at me. I couldn't dry off, because there was too much water now, and if I did, the steam would be strange. I closed my eyes, and swore all the words I could think of under my breath. The other two seemed to be doing the same.

"Carlisle, could you close the window? I'm getting a little cold," Ivy said innocently.

"Sure," He closed it quickly, and I stopped getting snowed on. But it still didn't solve my problem. There was nothing, no towels, no clothing I could use to dry myself. But I had to do_ something_, or I'd flop out of the car, rather than walk. I could see Alice cringing, annoyed that she didn't see it coming.

Half an hour later, when Carlisle stopped the car outside a large, secluded mansion, I think he might have got a surprise when he opened the door on my side. I'd managed to dry off, but with an unusual method. I sat there, juggling a ball of water that never touched my hands. I'd lifted it off me with my super cool mermaid powers, but I couldn't just throw it anywhere. Alice had refused to get her hair washed, and throwing it on Carlisle might have just made him crash the car, or at least give him a shock. I froze it in the air, and threw it past Carlisle. Scrambling for explanations, I chose the ridiculous one. "And that, Alice, is how to smash a skull in a snowball fight." I smiled sheepishly, then leapt out of the car, far away from Carlisle as possible. Ivy followed.

"You really are dreadful at this." She muttered.

"Well what was I supposed to do?!"

"Not say that."

"There was absolutely nothing else I could have said."

"Well, you should have said nothing. What _you_ said sounded murderous. You could have told him that a llama had barfed it on your lap would have been better. _Anything_ but pretending to give Alice murder lessons…" She sighed, shaking her head at me. We walked around the back of the car to get our cases out, and Alice came to help. She raised her eyebrows at me, but said nothing.

When we got to the mansion, I got the welcoming I hadn't expected. A blonde blur ran at me, and picked me up. "Thank God! I don't care that you're a pesky human, just come back! This family is _boring!_ They all mope! It's to do with you, I know it! If you help, I'll stop hating you, I promise!" The tall, blonde Rosalie yelled into my shoulder. She didn't seem to care that the whole family could hear her call them boring. I was so taken aback, I couldn't answer her. I got hugs from most of the family after that. Esme wouldn't let me go, she cried tearlessly about how happy she was that I was back, Emmett grabbed both Ivy and I after brief introductions, and after Esme hugged her. Rosalie seemed quite friendly to her, actually. She waved a small, very un-Rosalie like wave, and smiled. Jasper smiled at me.

"Thanks for coming back." He whispered. "Hello," He smiled at Ivy politely. Edward was nowhere to be seen.

**Okay, filler, but at least they're at the Cullen's now… Actually, the Denali's… :S xD**

**Lots o' loveee! xxx**


	9. Chapter 9

**Okay, someone's reviewed to point out about the 2 full moons :/ sorry. I've been reading loadsa werewolf books recently, & in them they have like a weekend where they have to change, & it made me think I had a couple of full moons to mess with. Won't do it again! xD Thanks, Wolfwhisperer x**

After my initial shock of receiving such a warm welcome from the Cullen family, I realized they weren't faking. I knew they were very good liars, but they couldn't lie about this. First of all, I doubt that Rosalie would be able to fake any affection – misplaced and selfish reasons aside – and I don't think she'd want to make my life less miserable, if they didn't want me back. I don't know, I just suppose they wouldn't have any reason to lie. If they didn't like me, they wouldn't be welcoming. Edward still hadn't appeared. I didn't think he would, judging from Alice's stories.

"So… have you been up to much in the past few months?" Esme asked me, and shooting Alice a quick look, I shook my head.

"Nothing at all, really. What about yourselves?"

Esme shook her head at me sadly, and it made her seem very old, despite her young looks. "Whatever we've been doing for the past few decades, all over again. I've renovated a few houses, Rosalie and Emmett have gone and on honeymoons and returned, Carlisle's worked, Jasper's studied, Alice has been… Alicing."

"What does that mean?" Alice interrupted, frowning.

"And Edward's been moping."

She certainly made it sound bleak.

There was a moments silence, when everyone seemed to cringe at the awkwardness. "Come on, I've not shown you your rooms yet," Alice said, grabbing Ivy and I and pulling us to the stairs. On the way by we grabbed our cases before being yanked up the stairs. The Cullen mansion had been big, but this was _huge_. There were enough rooms for all the Cullens, the Denalis, Ivy and I to have a room each, maybe even two each. I suppose being in the middle of a snowy nowhere left them room to expand. "Okay," Alice sighed. "Here are your rooms, on this floor," She pointed to the two rooms in front of us. "And that's the bathroom, across the hall. And if you want to keep your suitcases or coats or anything in those spare rooms, feel free." She waved her hand at a couple more rooms.

"What about that door?" I asked, pointing to the only brown one.

"Fake door," Alice said looking at me in amusement. "Don't ask, I don't know." She let us put our cases in the spare rooms so we could finish the tour. There was another staircase at the end of the hallway, which she quickly led us up. "Mine and Jazzy's room, Rosalie and Emmett's, Carlisle and Esme's, and all the rest." She said, pointing at different doors. There was another flight of stairs, this time, they were spiralling and made of polished wood and metal. It looked too fancy to be the stairs to the loft.

"What's up there?" I asked, nodding my head toward it.

"That's the astronomy 'tower'… in other words, it's the glass ceiling loft. Also, it's Edward's room. Wanna go say hello?"

"No!" I gasped, feeling a blush form on my cheeks.

"Come on, he's been very rude not to come greet guests." Alice pouted.

"We'd be _very rude_ intruding on his space!"

"Well, it's about time somebody did!" With that, she dragged me behind her. We were about half way up when I managed to get hold of the cold banister and stop myself from going up any further. Alice turned to look at me sceptically, like she believed my attempts were useless. "You're not even just a _little_ curious?" She asked.

"Incredibly." I raised an eyebrow to show I was being sarcastic, but it was a lie. I wanted to see the astronomy tower. Just not with Edward there. He clearly didn't want to see me, and I didn't want to see my ex-boyfriend and act like everything there was nothing awkward about living with him.

"Come on, then!" She pulled my arm, and since I had such a grip on the banister, it gave a little creak. I let go with a squeak, and Alice pulled me up. When we got near the top, she suddenly put her hands on my shoulders and pushed me to sit down on the second step from the top. Then she leaned in to whisper in my ear, "Stay here, just for a minute, or I can easily 'make-up' some kind of problem for you," I opened my mouth to say that it was hardly a '007' style threat, and that I didn't care if she covered me with makeup, but she opened her mouth again. "Or… I'll think up another threat, and I'll know if you leave, okay?" She winked conspiringly, and I remembered I hated Alice's little tricks like this. She walked up into the room. I _knew_ she wasn't being malicious, but I'd rather she'd shoot me. There was no need for this. Either way, I sat there, dreading the will of Alice. I was between a rock and a hard place. Embarrass myself in front of my ex, or face the wrath of Alice Cullen. Edward probably knew I was coming. He would have heard us, and would hear it from Alice. He would be expecting me, and if I chickened out, what would that show him? Would he think I hated him, or that I wasn't strong enough to see him? Well, he'd been 'moping' all this time, so maybe I he wouldn't care about how I was. I stayed put, and listened in to their conversation. It's not like I could help it.

"Haven't painted the room black yet, then?" Alice said, and I heard no reply. "Aren't you glad I'm back?" She whispered.

"Yes, sorry." Edward replied, sighing.

"Oh, don't be like that. You don't need to apologize to me, Ed. Hug?" I heard shuffling of clothes, so I guess he accepted. "Don't you know we have guests? You didn't come greet them." I closed my eyes and suppressed a groan.

"No, who is it? Let me guess, Peter and Charlotte?" He sounded dull, emotionless.

"Nope. I got one of them sitting outside, mind if I finish the tour in here?" She said, and I could hear the smile in her voice. Such a hopeful, happy smile.

"Go for it." He sighed.

Alice appeared in the doorway. "Come on in," she smiled. With a quick scowl at her, I stood up and followed her in.

The only words I could think of to describe the room would be a vampire lair. If any scientist found this room, and knew it was a vampire's, they'd have no doubts about the silly vampire myths being true. The carpet was black, opposed to the cream carpets in the rest of the house. There were no coffins, but that didn't stop me looking for one. It was simple, practically empty. But then again, with the glass ceiling, it would make the room feel huge. The glass had a large shutter curtain spanning from one wall to the other. There was a bed, a cupboard, and a large piano, all in dark colours. I looked up, expecting to see Edward as a bat hanging from the ceiling, but I could only see the weak sunshine and grey clouded sky. It was the room's only light source. I continued to look around the room, but he wasn't that hard to find. He was lying sprawled on the bed, one arm over his eyes; not even bothering to greet me, or just stop acting like a couch potato for a guest. He was beautiful as ever; his copper hair fell messily over his forehead, like caramel had been drizzled over him. His skin looked paler than I remembered, and didn't have the slight glow he had before. A regular, healthy glow. Oh, God, what had happened? I couldn't see his eyes, or much of his face, which was just as well, really. He was wearing grey, crumpled jeans, and a plain – also crumpled – white shirt. I looked at him the way I would look at an Orlando Bloom photo; I wanted him, but knew it would never happen, and it was easy enough to accept. But there was a small part of me that yearned for him with such force, I would have lurched forward and won him back, if that part of me was in control.

As I entered, he flinched. "Our guests are _human?_" He hissed to Alice, in a slight annoyance. Personally, I thought that was a rather stupid thing to say, because it pointed out that the Cullens were _not _human. Lucky for them I already knew.

"Hey, I _can_ here you," I said, mortified at my own confidence. Suddenly, he sat up, and moved the arm from his face. The full power of his eyes hit me like I was being hypnotized. They were as black as night, and shadowed with violet circles. His nose was as straight and perfect as it had always been, but his lips were paler, unhealthy, like he hadn't fed for a long time. His strong cheekbones and square jaw were still the same.

"_Bella_?" He gasped.

"Hello," I smiled.

"But… but- how did I not…?" He stammered, frowning. "You don't smell the same." He stated, and stood up. By Alice's surprised expression, I realized that this was not a regular occurrence. In two long strides he was in front of me, like, _right_ in front of me. He leaned down so our eyes were level, and he stared right into my eyes, before leaning forward. I restrained a gasp. My thoughts were a shocked, panicky blur. He couldn't mean to kiss me?! He bent his head lower than my face, and sniffed my shoulder. I was too stunned to move, so I just stood and let him. "Freesias… lavender… they're normal… and… sea?" He sounded confused. I felt a blush creep up, just as he straightened up. Well, not entirely straight; he was still at the same level as me, and close enough to breathe in my air. The part of me that wanted to lean closer and touch him grew, crushing my negativity. I tried to push it back, keep to myself. The time for Edward and I together had passed. Neither of us _really_ wanted that, it was just memory, what used to be. I stared into his black eyes, trying to convince myself of that fact. He stared back, and it was like we were having a staring contest. Eventually, his eyes merged into one in my vision, and I was sure I'd looked at him so intently I'd gone cross eyed. He brushed the hair away from my face, and breathed honey-and-sunshine air onto my face. I stepped back, away from his hypnotizing eyes, away from his lingering hand, his cool breath. Just to escape from this. He stood up properly then, as though he'd realized what had just happened and was embarrassed.

"I've missed you, you know," He whispered.

"Yeah," I said, realizing I sounded sceptical. Why would he dump me then, if he did? Typical Edward, the hopeless, but actually amazing romantic. I wasn't angry at him, I just didn't really believe him that much. He'd bore of me again.

"I have, honestly." He said louder. "That might sound ridiculous of me, seeing as… but I do."

I looked away, noticing Alice had disappeared. "You don't have to talk about this. We both know it means nothing, not now." I sighed, and left the room. I shut the door, but didn't walk down the stairs. I was being torn in two. Sense versus my heart. My heart lurched forward when it heard the first notes of a familiar piano song - _my_ lullaby – but it went alone. The rest of me walked down the stairs.

**Hellooo (:**

**Thanks for R&R-ing :P**

**I have a perfect plan for the next chapter, or maybe the chapter after that... :/ I just had to get a Bella/Edward chapter, & I may have got a little carried away xD But tell me if you like it, or if there's anything you didn't understand, or ... anything. :D**

**Been listening to a lot of _Florence & The Machine's_ new album, so it's probably where I'm getting a lot of inspiration. It's an amazing album, if you don't buy it, at least youtube it :P **

**Anyway, thanks for reading, reviewing, everything you can do with a chapter, really, lol. & Again, I _love _getting suggestions, I think there's a few I may use :P**

**Lots of love :D xxxx**


	10. Chapter 10

**Love the ideas, guys, they're fab! :D **

I didn't go back to see the rest of the family, instead, I walked down to the floor where mine and Ivy's rooms were. I found her standing in the hall, facing the two doors. She jumped when I stood next to her. "I didn't know which one you'd prefer," She said sheepishly.

"I don't mind, you should have just picked one," I smiled, then walked forward to look into the one on the left. It was simple, nondescript; a bed, cupboard, drawers, a vanity table, and a small sofa. Like a holiday room. The carpet was cream, but the room seemed to have a blue theme. The walls were turquoise, as was the bedding and furnishings. It wasn't too blue, it was quite stylish. I closed the door, and looked into the room on the right. It was completely different. There was personality, warmth, homeliness. Again, the carpet was cream, but the walls were amazing. They were a reddish orange at the bottom, and as it got higher, it became redder, and by the time it reached the ceiling it was a very red hot pink. It looked like someone had taken a slice out of a rainbow, just the red and orange and a touch of pink. It made me think of volcanoes. Like the other room had a blue theme, this room had a warm, red theme. Littered on the walls were photographs and posters. Pictures of the Denali's and the Cullens, and one of just two blondes, one with strawberry blonde ringlets, the other with straight, white blonde hair. Tanya and Kate. The room must have belonged to one of them. Whoever it was, they had a similar taste in music and films as me; the posters were of things I liked, too. Near the end, back by the door, there was a note.

_Hello, lodger! _

_Hope you enjoy your time here, & I'm sorry I wasn't around to meet you! Sorry my room's a mess, it was a last minute tidy! :)_

_Love, Kate. x_

Oh, so it was Kate's room. I decided I liked the red one better, but I liked them both. I walked back out into the hall. "It's up to you," I said to Ivy.

"Well… If you don't mind, I prefer the blue room. It gives me the shivers to have all that personal stuff, like I'm an intruder. Are you okay with that, if I stay in the blue one?" She asked hesitantly.

"Sure! Actually, I was going to say that I'd stay in the red room, anyway." I smiled, before walking back into what was now my room - for a while.

I sat down on the bed, wondering what to do with myself. If I were at home, there would be chores to do. If it wasn't Spring break, there'd be school to go to. Just… anything but being left with my thoughts. Unfortunately, before I _could_ do anything, I had to deal with my thoughts; I couldn't deal with anything else. So, Edward said he missed me, and acted like, well, he had missed me. And I missed him. Well, that slower part of me, that still cried over the breakup missed him. Okay, so _all_ of me liked him. But did I _love_ him? Did he _love me?_ Maybe once, but both of us would have to forget that. There was no use fooling myself to live in the past. If I were to be with him, I would have to remember that. Because, there was no trouble in trying. At least then I would know how I felt. And it might prove to Edward that there wasn't much there, too. But I would still think it over. I wasn't going to dash upstairs immediately. Time was needed; a couple of days. Until then I'd… do nothing but put more thought into it.

To help, I thought about the past, when Edward lived in Forks. All the times we'd been together. Our time in the meadow, how free and happy I felt, the day when I realized I couldn't live without him. Any of our days together at school, walking through the halls hand in hand, the elated feeling I'd had just by holding his cold, soft hand. Playing baseball was normally associated with trouble in my mind, since that's when James and his coven found us and the hunting games started, but I could also see the greatness in those times. When we went to play baseball was the first time Edward told me he loved me. And seeing the contentment on his face when we were all together was so significant to me, it meant that not only was I happy, but he was, too. The prom was a special time, along with all those days I was in hospital. And my birthday, bad things happened that day, but there was love and joy. And I was miserable as hell when he left. Spending time with Jacob had helped, but he could never be a replacement.

Okay, it was time to think about the negatives. If there were any. If there were, I couldn't think of any. As far as I remembered, I had been truly happy with Edward. But I wouldn't feel right if I couldn't name any real negatives. I sighed, giving up on that ridiculous activity. But I was still annoyed with myself for it. To vent my angry energy, I gathered the water in the air, then spread it out flat at the height of the bed, giving the bed and all other furniture a large space, so not to ruin Kate's things. It made a big sheet of water. I smiled at it proudly, wishing I could touch it without growing a tail. I'd make an ice rink high above the floor, and skate around where nobody could see me. I'd fall through the water to the air, and jump out of water to the sky. I shook my head, silly thoughts. I boiled the water away. I didn't anticipate it gathering at the ceiling. It all dripped down quickly on me. I yelped in surprise, standing up and covering myself with a blanket from the bed. A thin linen one, which the water rained through onto my arms and head. I rolled my eyes as I swapped jeans for a tail, managed to balance for a minute, then fell to the floor with a thump. It stopped raining in the room, but the blanket was still over me. I lay there for a second, nursing my bashed elbows. I could hear movement in the halls outside my room. I froze, then turned to check the blanket fully covered me. There was no way I was going to try dry the water off as steam, not to get rained on again. And I wasn't going to move, try manually dry off with the blanket, not until I was sure nobody was going to walk in.

There was a knock on the door. "Bella?" Edward said, sounding worried.

"I'm fine, Edward," I called back.

"Are you sure?" He asked, and I remembered he was well aware I didn't want to call attention to myself. "Can I come in?"

"No, leave it," I told him, cursing mentally.

"I'm coming in," He said, but he didn't appear for another minute. He popped his head through the doorway, and saw me lying on the floor, covered in a blanket, which, thank God, was dark red. "Oh, Bella! What happened?" He said, panicking instantly.

"I fell, that's all."

"Still clumsy," He sighed, smiling a little. He knelt beside me, and grabbed my hand lightly. His hands were still very cold to me, but made my memories flutter happily. This is what had been normal. "Are you all right? You didn't hurt yourself, did you?" He asked. "You landed on your elbows, are they bruised?" He stretched my arm up gently to look at them, his eyes touching quickly on the bikini top. Luckily, it was shadowed a considerable amount.

"If you don't mind, could you not look at my bra?" I said, which made him direct his gaze away quickly enough.

"Sorry," He whispered.

"I think my elbows are fine." I said sceptically.

"Sorry," He said again. "I've not seen you for so long, I don't know how to act around you. Humans are so fragile, I forget you're not butterflies."

"Nope, I'm a shark," I said, and he gave me an amused expression.

"A _shark_? I'd say a seahorse, or an angelfish,"

"Then you're a hermit crab."

He shrugged, "Probably. I'm certainly not pretty enough, or fragile enough to be a seahorse."

"Flirt." I said, though I _had_ responded.

He shook his head quickly, "Tell me again, why we're sitting on the floor talking about sea creatures?"

"I don't know, and technically, I'm lying on the floor." I laughed.

"Ah, yes. We should probably do something about that. Shall I help you up?"

"No, I'm good."

"Alright." He said casually, and let it be.

"So what's with the hunger strike?" I asked, only half joking.

"Pardon?"

"The hunger strike, with the purple circles, and the black eyes, greying skin… why?"

"You're saying you don't like this look?" He joked, before turning serious. "I don't know," He sighed. "I should probably fix that, shouldn't I?"

"I think you should."

"But… before I go…" He started, sounding nervous, which was enough to catch my attention.

"Yes?"

"I think we need to talk about… things, sometime." He said, fiddling with my fingers.

"…Yeah," I said quietly. I wasn't going to tell him I'd thought things over, and decided, not yet. "Maybe we do."

"We don't have to talk about that now, seeing as you've just got here, but, I'd like to… clear the air."

"Exactly. We're _not_ talking about it now," I said.

"I know. We shouldn't. But soon, I need to…"

"Quit stalling," I blurted. If I didn't, he was going to keep talking about it, either till we _did_ talk about it, or till he decided he wasn't going to feed. "You need to go…drink,"

"Of course." He stood up. "To the bar I go, care to join me?" He joked. There was no way he'd let me come.

"No thanks," I laughed.

"Good. The drinks are a bit too… _wild _for my-" He stopped, and then became serious, picking up on his mistake, "For a little seahorse."

"Right. Bye," I smiled, and watched him leave. When he left the room, and the hallway, I hit my head on the floor, repeatedly. Not how it was supposed to happen.

Ivy came in then, raising her eyebrows when she saw me still on the floor.

"Shut up," I growled playfully.

"I said nothing." She smiled. "How are you doing?"

I put my forehead back on the soft carpet. "Quiet! Can't you see I'm meditating?" We both laughed. She reached down and grabbed my hand, then pulled me up with such force that I fell back onto the bed.

"There we go," She looked down at my cloudy purple tail, lips curling into a smile. "I was going to ask if you wanted to go for a walk, but…"

I hit her arm, "Alright, enough with the jokes!" But I was laughing, too. I put my hand on the tail, picking up water. "And besides, if you want to go for a walk…" I rubbed my wet hand on her arm, making her yell in surprise and annoyance. She tried rubbing it off, but it was too late, seconds later we were both in hysterics, sitting there with tails. I lay back, and tried to lift up my tail. Man, it was heavy, a lot heavier than legs. It flopped back, nicely hitting my face with the flipper. I could hear Ivy laughing, so I sat up and shot a quickly formed ball of water in her face. She glared, and copied me, but freezing cold water came at me like from a showerhead. Eventually, it stopped, and I scowled at her, dripping water from my nose, my chin, all over my face. Then I sneezed. It wasn't the kind of sneeze I knew was coming, it just appeared, and I was so shocked, I must have pulled a face, because Ivy fell forward, laughing so hard she was shaking. I sneezed again. And again. And so many times, until I realized it wasn't a coincidence. She had given me a cold! I held my hands up to retaliate, when there was a knock on the door, and someone appeared.

"Oh, for the love of-!"

**Ooooh, cliffhanger :D**

**I wonder who it be… Lol.**

**I think I used someone's suggestion here… kinda… yup, well, I tried to xD angstar54.**

**Tell me what you think of this, R&R! (:**

**Oh, & btw, I don't know how long Spring Break is in America, cause I'm not in America, & I don't think we have one in Scotland… Hmm. Either way, there probably won't be school in this for a while, so if you think she should be back at school, just say she's allowed to skive :P I don't know why Charlie would let her but… otherwise my evil plans shan't work! Mwahahh……. :/  
****lolol.**

**Lots of loooove! xxx **


	11. Chapter 11

Carlisle jumped into the room, slamming the door shut behind him. "Hey!" Emmett yelled from behind the door. "What about me? What about the party?!" He cried dramatically.

"What party?" Carlisle was leaning against the door, arms braced out on either side. His shocked face turned into one of confusion.

"Well, I had this idea…" Emmett muttered, but it sounded like a joke.

"Talk to you later, Em!" I called, hoping he would leave. He did. Carlisle focused on us again, and his face lit up with surprise and discovery.

"I-I… Wow, can I… er… _mermaids?_ Honestly?" He gasped. It was clear no answer was required.

Ivy sighed, raised her eyebrows at him as though considering explaining, then she started telling him everything she knew about us swimming skills enhanced creatures. He listened intently, though I could see every now and again he wanted to ask a question, or add his own theory. I expected a flood of questions when she was done, but clearly she had covered it all. The one thing she _didn't _mention was our enhanced senses, and for some reason, I think she did it deliberately.

"I _knew_ there was something weird going on," Carlisle muttered.

"Good, because otherwise, your mental skills would have greatly decreased." I grinned.

"I don't doubt that…" Ivy mumbled playfully. "Anyway…" She sighed, searching for a new conversation. "Esme is lovely," She smiled, genuinely. "I can't imagine a better lady." She didn't sound annoyed, or jealous, maybe happy for him.

"Not even yourself?" Carlisle asked, smiling, a little ruefully. I noticed then, that even though he was hundreds of years old, and hadn't been to England properly for a very long time, he took on a slight English accent when talking to Ivy.

"Not even myself." Ivy replied quietly. "Don't you dare lose her." She said, sounding like a sister, not a hundreds of years old fiancée.

"I couldn't, even if I wanted to." He smiled. "Are we going downstairs?" He asked, then looked at our tails. "Ah. Er…"

I boiled the water off, then froze the steam droplets, making hailstones, which I gathered from the floor, then threw out the window. Okay, so I showed off… just a little. Ivy rolled her eyes at me, then just lifted the water off and threw a water ball out the window. Carlisle looked shocked – hearing about it and seeing it happen are two entirely different things – but he didn't say anything, and managed to compose himself. We walked down the stairs to find the whole Cullen family – except Edward – all sitting in the main room, looking bored; in party hats. Yes, and there was a banner; 'Welcome Back' it read, they each had blowouts and party poppers, but they all looked bored. When we walked in the room, it was like switching on a lamp. The organized party started a little late, but it didn't matter. Alice was looking stressed out by that, but it couldn't be helped.

"Surprise!" They yelled, then: "Welcome back!"

I laughed, actually surprised they _had_ organized a party. "But… guys, I've never been here before…" I giggled. "Thank you, though. This is amazing!"

"We mean, 'back with us'!" Alice said from the corner, trying her best to party, though she seemed frustrated that she missed us.

"Told you there was a party," Emmett pouted, Angelina Jolie style. "I was meant to come get you, but _Carlisle_ spoilt it."

"Sorry, I didn't know," Carlisle laughed.

"You're not forgiven." Emmett said ominously. Rosalie elbowed him hard in the ribs. He flinched slightly.

"You are forgiven." He said in the same voice. We all laughed, and the party actually started. We were split up into four teams, Carlisle and Esme, Alice and Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett, Ivy and I, and we had competitions on the 'Wii Sports' games. It was competitive fun, there were a lot of rival – Emmett and Jasper – squabbles, but they were in good nature. Nobody really kept scores except them, and nobody else bothered to ask them. I know that my team aced tennis and bowling, no matter what anyone else said, we were the best.

Then, they broke into the 'Singstar', and we had a laugh playing that. None of us were really out to win; Alice sang like a hamster on helium, giggling every few seconds, Emmett and Jasper took turns trying to perfect character voices singing, e.g. Darth Vader, Homer Simpson, people like that, and Esme and Carlisle did soppy, cute duets. Ivy and I were heavy metal rock stars, to Britney Spears and other funny pop singers' songs. They didn't bring out any food, which I was glad of; it would feel weird to be one of the only ones eating – having them all watch me eat, which vampires often did do. They did offer, though.

When Edward came back from his 'dinner', I thought he would join us, but he looked through, smiled, then walked upstairs. I found myself watching, and there was a tug in my mind that urged me to go get him to join us, but I ignored it. He didn't want to join, and it would be an awkward presence in the room if he did. I turned away, realizing Ivy had started our song without me. Then I looked, and realized she had put it on single. I felt myself blush; had I really been out of it long enough for them to decide to leave me out of my turn? I shook my head quickly, forgetting that, and started paying attention to Ivy singing along to 'Panic! At the Disco's _But It's Better If You Do_'. She had no clue what it sounded like, it was hilarious. I could feel Alice's eyes on me, so I turned to meet her gaze. She smiled slightly when I caught her looking, but continued to appraise me, like she could see what was going on in my head. It was sort of unnerving, but she quickly stopped. I wondered what she thought about me, about my thoughts. I tried forgetting that, too, and concentrated on the TV screen, and the people singing. Emmett got annoyed when on Alice and Jasper's turn, they both sang the song in French, and still got full score, seeing as he couldn't even get half score singing like a Cowboy, and he managed to throw a hysterical Jasper out of the house into the snow. Even when the front door was closed and locked shut, leaving Jasper outside, you could still hear him howling with laughter. The rest of us tried to console Emmett, but ended up making jokes out of all of it. Needless to say, Emmett sat out of the game after that, deciding to critique everyone else playfully.

I don't know how he did it, but Jasper managed to get back in, and walked through to the main room. "Je suis désolé, monsieur Emmett!" He chuckled, which got a growl and a few French insults. "Calm down, Emmett." He said seriously, and Emmett suddenly looked like he'd been drugged. He glared out of heavy lidded eyes at nothing in particular. One by one, everyone decided to sit out, until we were all done with the game.

"Hasn't been very party-like," Alice mumbled. "But I can't think of anything else we could do…?"

"Truth or Dare," Rosalie said loudly, daring someone to protest. Nobody did.

"Fab. We'll play that, then?" Alice grinned, looking around us.

"Can we invite Edward? The more the merrier," Emmett asked. He didn't wait for an answer, he stood up and ran to the stairs. Seconds later, the two of them ran back down the stairs.

"What did you say I was needed for? Has something happened? What is it?" Edward sounded confused, slightly worried. When they got to the door, when he saw all of us sitting in a circle with two spaces left, it didn't take him long to catch on to the intent. He raised an eyebrow, smiling a little. He looked a lot better than he had before; the purple circles had disappeared, his skin was a little flushed and looked vampire healthy, and his eyes were a beautiful honey gold.

"Like I said, we need you… to come play truth or dare." Emmett smirked, taking his place in the circle. With a small sigh, Edward sat beside Rosalie and Carlisle, across the circle from me. At least it wasn't 'spin the bottle'. Alice was next to me, and Emmett started with her. That either meant I would be next, or last. "Truth or dare, Alice?"

She pursed her lips, looking at the possibilities. "Oh, truth." She said at last. Nobody was too pleased at her cheating, but none of us commented.

"Have you ever wanted to choke Jasper?" Emmett said quickly.

"Jeez, Emmett, grow up!" She said loudly, and Jasper smiled smugly at Emmett. "Of course I have! Not as much as I've wanted to choke you… but yes! Plus, choking him would do nothing, it'd have to be fire…" She trailed off mock conspiringly. Jasper's smile faded quickly. "That was a terrible question," She said.

"Jasper? Truth or dare?"

"Go on then, dare." Jasper said to no one in particular. "What shall I do?" Everyone thought about it. It wasn't a very organized game, but it was a game, nonetheless.

"Kiss Carlisle." Someone said, and Carlisle, Esme and Jasper all looked _very_ disturbed by the idea.

"I think I might leave this game to the kids," Esme said, smiling. Carlisle stood up, and helped her up. They both walked out of the door, but not before Carlisle got to warn us.

"No funny business, okay? I like the colour of the walls, of my car, etc. I don't want to find out that my 'missing keys' really are in someone's stomach, okay? You're supposed to be _adults_, _supposed_ to be, at least." And with that, he left.

"Didn't even think of any of those things…" Alice smiled devilishly. "But we don't have any paint, do we? And he took his keys… hmm."

"Anyway, Jasper's turn," Ivy called, making him glare at her. "You said dare, right?"

"Right." He mumbled.

"Go outside, and bury yourself in the snow?" Emmett suggested. Nobody protested, and there was no other suggestions.

"But…but I just got back in…" Jasper said, looking upset.

"It won't make you any colder," Edward reasoned, smirking.

"I'll get you all back!" Jasper yelled; sounding like a Bond villain as he walked out the door. As soon as he was outside, we all crowded around the window to watch. Sure, it wouldn't make him that cold, but it would make him soggy and uncomfortable. We watched him glower at us through the window, and like a hypnotizing glare, we all instantly felt guilty.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Jaz!" Alice cried spreading her hand on the window.

"Get back in here!" Emmett roared, and I nodded in agreement. I'm sure we all knew he was just playing on our emotions, but personally, I felt too guilty to care. When Jasper walked back into the room, we all ran toward him, chorusing apologies.

"It's okay, I forgive you." He smiled smugly. "Let's go sit down, and get on with the game. I believe it's your turn, Emmett?"

Emmett nodded, and we all walked back into the main room and sat back down. Jasper was still smiling smugly, like he couldn't believe he'd gotten away with it.

"Emmett? Truth or dare?" Rosalie asked.

He rubbed his hands together, smiling evilly. "Dare, gotta be dare. Where would the fun be in truth?"

"How's about… I dare you, for the rest of the week, to do the exact opposite of whatever Carlisle or Esme asks you to do, or answer with exact opposites." Alice said, smiling widely.

"Aw, Alice, that's a terrible one! Hardly effective!" Emmett groaned.

"Oh, but I can _see_ it being a good one." She said.

"Oh," Edward said, then began laughing. He caught it in her mind. Then that made me wonder if, and how Alice – and now Carlisle – kept mine and Ivy's secret from Edward. Maybe if they just didn't think about it…

"Truth or dare, Rose?"

"Truth," She said.

"Truth is pretty useless, actually. What with Edward, and the no secrets stuff…" Jasper mused.

"Dare, then," Rosalie said, rolling her eyes.

"You don't care much for eating any of Carlisle's prized possessions, do you?" Ivy said, and by the grimace Rosalie gave her, she was right.

"Dye your hair green," Alice said quickly.

"_What_?! No!" Rosalie yelled. "Besides, we don't even have hairdye!"

"I do," Alice smiled.

"Why do you have _green hairdye_?!"

Alice just shrugged. "It's a valid dare."

"It won't grow out," Rosalie said hesitantly, but it sounded like she might do it, no matter how disgusted she looked by the idea.

"Dye it back to blonde later," I suggested, receiving a glower from Rosalie.

"Here, I'll even get the dye for you," Alice said, standing up and going upstairs. She returned at vampire speed, clutching a bottle of sickly green dye. Rosalie flinched when she saw it, and her face scrunched up in worry. "Hey, it's green! What did you _think_ I meant by 'green'?" Alice said, smiling cheerfully.

"When will I… _dye_ it?" Rosalie scowled on the word 'dye', and looked a bit ill. Somehow, I knew that no matter how much it disgusted her, she wouldn't back down from a dare.

"No time like the present,"

"But-"

"Come on girl! Let's gooo!" Alice laughed, pulling Rosalie up and then to the nearest bathroom.

"O…kay," Ivy said, laughing. "We'll see that soon, I take it?"

"Yes," Emmett said miserably.

"Well, look at that! One more turn until my go! What'll it be, Edward?" She said confidently, seeing as she'd never met the guy.

He thought about it for a minute, probably picking everyone's mind to find out what they would do. He turned to look at Ivy, with raised eyebrows. "Are you related to Bella?" He asked her.

"Not at all."

"I can't hear your… I can't read your mind," He said in confusion, and I mentally grinned. I hadn't even thought of that, but it was good not having to think of it again.

"Really? I didn't know you could even do that in the first place. Well, that's good, I guess. Anyway, truth or dare?"

He looked pointedly toward the door, where I could faintly hear Rosalie's protests as Alice worked on her hair. "Truth."

"Hey! How come _he_ got to choose truth, but Rose didn't?" Emmett said, scowling.

"Because… Edward will have secrets, and _we _can't read _his _mind." Ivy said, looking between Edward and I, taking Alice's place as the annoying, embarrassing 'matchmaker'. "Plus, I have a question." She turned to face Edward. "I know it's not exactly a 'yes' or 'no', but I'd have to go through millions of questions just to get my answer. Okay. What were your reasons for leaving Bella, and Forks?"

There was a sudden silence, a chill in the room. I was imagining throttling Ivy, and I was glaring daggers into her back. She shouldn't have asked. It made it sound like _I_ had wanted her to ask, which I didn't. I didn't _care_ anymore. I had no reason to want to know. It was an uncomfortable question, one that nobody really wanted asked.

"I-I don't want to… I'm not answering that." Edward stammered. Actually stammered. "I think it's probably more of a private… matter."

"No, tell us. I don't think Bella minds hearing, since you didn't tell her." Ivy continued.

"Ivy, I don't care much for hearing about this; it's a silly question. If you're done, we can go ask some guy from Phoenix why he wouldn't kiss me in 3rd grade." I raised my eyebrows, pleading her to stop, though she couldn't see me.

"Ivy's right; Bella, you _should_ hear about it, but not in the middle of a 'truth or dare' game. I'm out." He stood up and walked away.

"Oops," Ivy whispered, turning around to get 'ya think?' looks from the three remaining people in the circle.

"Ohhh," I groaned, looking at the plush white flooring, thinking it would be the perfect place to smack my head on. Repeatedly.

"Sorry, Bella. It's just… I got my truth, I wanted you to get yours…"

"This isn't the same, Ivy. Plus, I _honestly_ don't care about this anymore. I don't _want_ the 'truth'. He didn't tell me a lie!"

"It was an omission, though, right? That's _like_ a lie…"

"I don't care!" I said angrily, standing up and walking away. I wished she hadn't done that. That I hadn't even come here in the first place. The past was raising its ugly, unnecessary head. First with Alice trying to push it back, then Edward, then Ivy, too. Who else wanted things back like they used to be? Was it so hard for them to realize that I didn't _really_ want Edward, and he didn't _really _want me? That what I really wanted to do was move on, forget about what Edward and I might have had?

Or did I? I said I'd give it another try, and I had believed it wouldn't work. But _maybe_, that was the small part of me that still loved Edward Cullen, winning against reason.

**Heyy… sorry it took so long for me to update, I made it kinda longish to make up for that, lol. It's cause I've got a really good idea for the next chappie, and I couldn't really be bothered writing **_**this**_** one, when I had this more fun idea in my head – but ofc. I couldn't write that one without this little filler – kinda – first, and if I wrote it too quickly, it'd be craaaaap :P**

**I'll write a preview of the next chappie further down a bit…**

**But first, I don't really like this chapter, I don't think. So tell me what **_**you **_**think! :D R&R! x**

**& Thanks, readers, reviewers, favouriters, alert-adders, lol. & About the summer break thing, TY! I think I'll steal another little idea… if you're wondering about Bella's schooling, blame Mike Newton. He… broke the school. Somehow. :D**

_**Preview of the next chapter – hopefully! xD**_

_**The next few weeks passed uneventfully. I had secretly packed to go, so I'd be back to school on time, but Charlie had called that night and said that the school was closed for repairs – Mike Newton; Forks High's no1 annoying guy – had been involved in an extracurricular science group, and had effectively blown off a larger part of the science department, leaving it unstable. More time with the Cullens, I guess. Rosalie was **_**not**_** happy with her hair, especially since it had fully shown up in her hair, the kind of green you get when grass starts dying. Alice, the little minx she was, had conveniently thrown all her blonde hair dye away, and claimed to be too busy to shop for more. Emmett's 'opposite week' had gotten a lot of laughs, and now, due to some 'accident' – where he had 'accidentally confessed' his 'crush' on Esme's mother in an old photograph, don't ask – neither Carlisle or Esme were talking to him; actually, I think they were a little freaked out by him. Jasper hadn't even got off free; since he was the one who had created the 'Emmett loves Esme's mum' situation, he **_**did**_** get buried in the snow, after all. But then, Emmett apologized, **_**guiltily**_**. Okay, so the past few weeks hadn't been **_**that**_** uneventful. Ivy hadn't done much, except apologize to me, though I kept telling her I was only angry at myself. I hadn't seen Edward once, and I hadn't done much on that front. I hadn't even thought about it. Much. So it was a surprise when I got the note in my room one evening, written in an unmistakeable, elegant script. **_

**Bella,  
Meet me tonight in the garden, I'd like to talk, if you're okay with that. About, 11pm?  
From Edward. **


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I keep on forgetting to do these, lol. I don't own Twilight, or anything to do with it… :P I once had myself a vampire, but then the chain broke :D Oh, & I don't own **_**Interview with the Vampire**_**, either – I just mentioned it, is all.. **

The next few weeks passed uneventfully. I had secretly packed to go, so I'd be back to school on time, but Charlie had called that night and said that the school was closed for repairs – Mike Newton; Forks High's no1 annoying guy – had been involved in an extracurricular science group, and had effectively blown off a larger part of the science department, leaving it unstable. More time with the Cullens, I guess. Rosalie was not happy with her hair, especially since it had fully shown up in her hair, the kind of green you get when grass starts dying. Alice, the little minx she was, had conveniently thrown all her blonde hair dye away, and claimed to be too busy to shop for more. Emmett's 'opposite week' had gotten a lot of laughs, and now, due to some 'accident' – where he had 'accidentally confessed' his 'crush' on Esme's mother in an old photograph, don't ask – neither Carlisle or Esme were talking to him; actually, I think they were a little freaked out by him. Jasper hadn't even got off free; since he was the one who had created the 'Emmett loves Esme's mum' situation, he did get buried in the snow, after all. But then, Emmett apologized, guiltily. Okay, so the past few weeks hadn't been that uneventful. Ivy hadn't done much, except apologize to me, though I kept telling her I was only angry at myself. I hadn't seen Edward once, and I hadn't done much on that front. I hadn't even thought about it. Much. So it was a surprise when I got the note in my room one evening, written in an unmistakable, elegant script.

_Bella,  
Meet me tonight in the garden, I'd like to talk, if you're okay with that. About, 11pm?  
From Edward._

I stared at the little sheet of paper for another minute, folding and fidgeting with it. I should go. I _would_ go. I'd decided I was going to try this, so there was no uncertainty about that. Still, I was nervous. I would have to try my best not to kiss him to death, brush off anything he said, or slap him. Just to listen, ask questions, accept what he might have to say. I wasn't going to tell him about me; my new secret. I wasn't going to keep him with me for longer than he really wanted, just because there was a new novelty about me.

Oh well. It was only 5pm. I had six hours before I went, I had time to prepare myself. I'd go see Alice or Ivy to help me chill out. I walked out into the hall, and knocked on the door to Ivy's room. No answer. I knocked again, then opened the door. There was nobody in. I thought about it for a second, then walked down the stairs. Most of the Cullens were out hunting, except Alice, who was with Ivy in the main room.

"Oh, hey Bella!" Alice chimed when I walked in. "Are you ready to go?" She asked, putting her jacket on.

"Er…" I looked at Ivy, who was wearing one of my old jackets, a long, fluffy, cream winter coat. "Where are we – you – going?"

"Well… seeing as it's the full moon tonight, we're going to the lake." Ivy said simply.

"What?! Full moon?" I gasped. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I thought you would have put it on a calendar, or on your phone, or remember, or something, seeing as your last experience wasn't the best…" Ivy said, as though I was stupid not to have. "But you're coming, right?"

"Well, I _can't_ really." I said, thinking hard. I didn't think I should put off speaking to Edward just because the moon was a proper circle. He might decide it wasn't that worth it. _I _might decide it wasn't worth it. It was like not going because I was on my period. Well, actually, seeing as he was a vampire, that might not be a good idea… heh. …But the principal. I couldn't change the moon, so why stop my life for it? I'd just ask Edward if we could talk in an 'outside light proof room', or something. So not his room. "Prior engagement. Have fun though!" I said cheerily, though I did envy her a bit. I was going to miss this full moon, and have to wait another month for the next one. Another month to feel the freedom, the whimsical feeling to be enchanted by the moon. Of course, Ivy had warned me that not _all_ full moons were careless and happy; some were dangerous, when I would feel all powerful, a sea creature to be feared. Some, I might just go insane. There were other strange things the moon could do, it was totally random.

"Are you sure, Bella? You'll need to keep the moon – and it's light – far out of eyesight, or your skin, or anything. Either that, or go run around in the trees, far away from the family… actually, not a good idea. You might… want to show them…" Ivy said thoughtfully. "You can come, we don't mind."

"No, really, I've got lots to do," I said, shaking my head.

"Okay, then. We're going now, the moon'll be up soon. Call us if you need any help." Alice sighed. "I just wish I could _see_ if you would need help. You guys seem to have some kind of block – Edward can't read either of you, can he? He's never been able to read Bella's mind, but that was already weird. Now you, too, Ivy? Must be a mermaid thing."

I shrugged. "The moon will be up _soon?_ Damn, I've got things to do before that happens." I sighed. "See you guys later, okay?" I said, walking out of the room. I didn't bother going back up to my room, instead I sat on the stairs, and thought.

Ivy and Alice walked by, waving and saying goodbyes, while Alice kept making the 'call me' gesture, saying, "If you have _any_ trouble!"

I didn't think there was a basement, and if there was, I doubted Edward would be happy to sit in a basement without asking questions. I couldn't tape up the windows in any room, that would raise questions… and most of the curtains were too thin. Oh, God. I was truly done for. I should have left with Alice and Ivy. Maybe I could live in the bath. But then… ugh. I'd probably end up calling the family up to see me in the bath, which could go wrong in several ways. Either they'd see my tail, and I'd be done, or they wouldn't come in, and I'd be the house pervert, calling them all to look at me in the bathroom. I shook my head, imagining the horror. Maybe, if I went into Edward's room and closed the shutters before he came home, and we could talk in there. I mean, they were black plastic. No silvery light would get through them. That I could do. Or, I'd just ask Edward to do it, so I didn't risk having them all falling on me when I pulled the wrong string.

In the meantime, what could I do? I didn't know how long they'd be away-

They were back. All noisy, exhilarated from the chase, all flushed from the blood; they were hard to miss, walking in through the back door. When Edward walked into the hallway, he spotted me on the stairs, and gave me a crooked smile. I tried not to get lost in the smile, tried not to be _dazzled_.

"Hey," He said quietly, contrary from his confident, crooked smile. "Did you…"

"I got the note, yes," I smiled, and opened my mouth to voice my requests.

"No, I meant, did you water the plants for Esme?"

"…" I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. Such a confusing thing to ask. I could feel my cheeks reddening. I had clearly been thinking about it _waay_ more than him.

He started laughing, a soft, velvety laugh, as he took his coat off and hung it on the rack. I didn't understand why he wore a coat, being a cold skinned vampire and all, but…. "Kidding. I don't think she asked anyone to water her plants. I wouldn't be thinking about that, anyway," I blushed even more furiously. It was a little funny, but still, I shouldn't have believed him. "I miss that blush, you know." He stated simply, as though announcing the weather.

"Uh… thanks?" I said, brushing my hands over my cheeks, as though trying to erase the colour.

"So, anyway? You're okay with meeting up? Sorry it's so late, it's just I've got a few things to do first," He seemed like he would be unfazed if I said no, but I could see my answer meant a lot to him. His butterscotch eyes portrayed a lot more emotion than his darker, jet black eyes. Just seeing he cared so much made me feel a little better, and a large part of me swooned. Such a caring gentleman. Hah.

"Yes. But Edward… could we maybe stay inside?"

"Oh, yeah. I was going to say something, since it will be pretty cold, so yes, that's fine." He nodded. Oh, I hadn't thought of the cold, but I suppose it was a much smarter excuse than being afraid of being out in the dark…

"Great. Where?"

"Well, the attic – it's got all the benefits of the outdoors, without the cold."

"That's also your bedroom, Edward Cullen," I said mock prudishly. It was his turn to feel embarrassed.

"I didn't mean-" He started, before being cut off by my laughing. He scowled at me, still smiling though.

"Anyway, about the _attic_. Could we maybe _not_ have the blinds open?" I asked.

He frowned, confused. "Uh… strange request. Sure, but, why?"

"Um… it sort of makes me… the opposite of claustrophobic. It makes the universe seem so big, and…" I was rambling. He'd already agreed, so I didn't need to say any more.

He still looked confused, but nodded. "Okay, then. Still 11pm?"

"Sure." I smiled, then ran upstairs to my room, where I closed the curtains quickly, then hid under my duvet, and relaxed, listening to my ipod. I had ages of time to kill, unable to do anything except stay under this cover. Stupid Alaska, having to be all cold and north, getting the moon so early. I remembered I had films downloaded, and if I watched them, there'd be less chance of me falling asleep. _Interview with the Vampire_ – how fitting. As much as I hated to admit it, Tom Cruise as a vamp was nothing compared to Edward, but damn, he was still nice…

I watched another two films after that, or should I say one and a half. Halfway through the third I realized it was 11.05. Aah! I had to get upstairs! I took the smaller, red blanket off the bed and covered myself with it as I ran through the hallways, dashing past doors quicker than human speed. When I eventually got to the spiral staircase, I took off the blanket and left it by the stairs, then started taking careful steps up the stairs. When I got to the top, I knocked on the door, and gently pushed it open. The lights on the walls were on, as was a lamp, but the blinds were tightly shut. No moonlight through them.

"Hey," Edward said casually, and I noticed him sitting on his bed.

"Hey," I replied, sitting down on the floor.

"Okay," He sighed deeply, "First of all, Bella-"

"Hang on…" I said, holding up a finger. I looked around the room suspiciously. Nope, there was no moonlight anywhere in the room. But I could _feel_… I could feel its pull. It wanted me to open the blinds, run outside, anything but deny it my attention. It felt like a mental tug, and was beginning to _physically_ hurt. "Are you sure there's no outside light in here?" I asked, thinking my voice sounded a little off. Clearly not, as Edward didn't notice.

"Uh… I don't really check, personally. But, no, there shouldn't be any." He looked confused again. I nodded quickly, a quick bob of my head.

"Okay then, what were you saying?" I asked.

"Bella, I think I owe you an apology…" I don't know whether he trailed off, or if I just stopped listening. I _really_ _did_ want to hear what he had to say, it was just hard to concentrate. I could feel my chest tightening up, and it felt like my lungs were closing. It was getting hard to breathe. "I… in all honesty, I _lied,_ Bella. I told you I didn't love you, and that was… that couldn't be true. Quite the opposite, really. I love you _too much_. When the… incident with Jasper happened, it made me see that…" I stopped listening again. I wanted to _see _the moon, not whatever _he_ saw. "And therefore, the best course of action would be to…" Let me be free in the sea. "Of course, you saw, that day when you came here, that I couldn't manage to live without you. I truly, honestly, do love you, with all my heart."

I lay back, trying to breathe. Black spots were appearing in front of my eyes, and the sides of my vision were all cloudy. I closed my eyes tightly, trying to dispel it all.

"Bella? Are you alright?" I could hear him come kneel beside me. "I know it's a lot to take in, and I'm sorry if you don't want this anymore, I just had to clear this up and- Bella?"

I sat up, opening my eyes in surprise. Oh my God. Edward had been lying! He loved me the whole time! Shame I was being killed by a psychopath moon. I bet Ivy knew this would happen. She didn't tell me on purpose. The scaly, weird, old-

"Bella, what's up with your eyes?" Edward sounded confused, worried, alarmed.

"I don't know," I answered dazedly. "I can't see them. I can't see a thing." And I sounded like that was just fine.

"They've- they've gone all… silver, or… blue… I…" He seemed lost for words.

Wow. The moon could be a terrifying old cow. Doing all that, to me? Why didn't she just change me, or open the blinds… I don't know. Well, it wasn't so bad. My vision was still messed up, but I wasn't in pain anymore, and I could hear again. I could endure this. "Maybe you need some air," He suggested worriedly. "These windows open, you know. Or we could go outside? I don't think you could do the stairs, and I don't think you'll let me carry you," He smiled, standing up and walking to the blinds and windows control strings. I realized his intent just on time to lie back and throw my arm over my eyes. But I could feel the cool light on my skin anyway. Then he opened the windows – pulling a wire that made them all go vertical, rather than small horizontal squares, I later found out - intensifying the pull. It was like icy tendrils from the sky were reaching through the gaps, tickling me, tempting me just to get an eyeful of moon. And I did, I pulled my hand away, and stared at it unblinkingly. The vertical panes of glass reflected the image, creating a beautiful effect. I could see the silver of the moon a hundred times.

I reached out a hand, imagining I was close enough to stroke it. Then, I looked over at the being that had let me see it again, the one who had set me free to it. Silver threads danced over the form of the creature, making him beautiful. The bronze of his hair was laced with chrome, and his skin sparkled, twinkling like stars. His eyes showed silver and gold, the sunshine and the moon. I stood up and stumbled toward him, intent on keeping him forever. "Shall we go outside?" I asked, eyes widening at the idea. I reached him, and he put his arms out to catch me before I fell. I stayed in his arms, looking up at him, always touching his skin, his hair, feeling the comforting, added presence from the night sky.

"I… um, Bella…" He said, clearing his throat, sounding uncomfortable. He looked down at me, looking up at him, and stared right into my eyes. "Your eyes are still…" He trailed off, still looking into my eyes. I moved my head slightly to the left, his sunshine-and-moon eyes followed. To the right, and he followed, hypnotized. I blinked, and his gaze snapped away. He blinked rapidly, as though confused.

"Outside?" I said quietly against the fabric of the skin on his neck. Both my hands were clutching the collar of his shirt tightly. He swallowed loudly, then nodded quickly, and I used all my mermaid strength to pull him through the house, out the back door. I had shoes on, and the snow didn't get to my skin. Too bad, I thought at first, then thought about the lake, and how I wouldn't want to be trapped here. I boiled any moisture that touched my skin before it had the chance to affect me, always whispering, "Not yet," to it. I had the creature, the supernatural creature by the hand now, dragging him – not unwillingly – to the garden bench, where I removed the snow before sitting down. The creature sat down – fell, whoops! – in front of the bench, by my feet. Just like the moon was my master, I was his.

"Bella, I-" He started, and I watched him stumble for words.

"What are you?" I asked, not realizing how cold my voice sounded.

"Pardon?!" He choked.

"What. Are. You? I'm tired of referring to you as 'the creature' in my mind. Please, enlighten me."

"Bella, are you out of your mind?! What-"

"What are you?" I asked loudly, angrily.

"I'm a vampire," He said, standing up. I looked up at him, and smiled. I reached out for his hand, and he placed his in mine.

"A vampire." I said, pulling him to sit beside me. "Well. Such majestic creatures," I whispered. "Do you not have fangs?" I asked, tilting my head.

"Bella, _what on earth is going on?!_"

"Do you have fangs?"

He looked down at me in shock, then shook his head quickly. "I don't have fangs. You _know_ all this, Bella,"

"Well I do," I grinned, snapping my teeth together. There were definitely fangs there, a small gift from the moon, on this beautiful night. The creature, my vampire, he leapt away from me in shock. He stood, far away from me, staring at me warily.

"Where's Bella?" He asked angrily. "Who are- what are you?!"

"Bella. Might that be me?"

He shook his head, his eyes wild with fright. "You- you're not Bella. I don't know what you are, you… you beast! What have you done with her?! Why- why are you posing as her?!" He looked so shocked, so frightened, I softened a little.

"Remind me, dear vampire. Who might you be?"

He softened too, became slightly less afraid. He walked closer, then crouched in front of me. "Bella. Bella, it's me, Edward." He paused, looking at me. Then, "What has Emmett _given you_?!" He yelled.

"Edward," I said quietly, getting used to the feel of the sound. "Come here?" I whispered, and like he should, he obliged. "You're a handsome vampire," I stated. "Would you like to go to the lake?"

"I…?" He looked confused.

"My friend Ivy is there," I said.

"With Alice?" He asked.

"A-liss." I said. "Aah-liss. I don't know. I just know that my sister Ivy escaped to the sea."

"I thought you said you weren't related?" He said, distracted.

"Ivy and I are not blood sisters," I said serenely, looking up at him. He looked at me again, and I tried to hypnotize him again, but he looked away in fear. "Can we go to the sea?"

"…" He didn't know what to say.

"Come on," I whispered in his ear, and I pulled him with me. He pulled me in the other direction, toward the house, and I scowled, and began to pull away. But he pointed toward the garage, toward the cars. Good, he was fully under my control now, like he should be. I pulled him close, to kiss him, to seal the deal, keep him in my power.

His lips were cold, soft, yet there was an electric current, connecting us. It felt wonderful against my own lips and… I felt the charge change. The current jolted, and my power over the vampire disappeared. Though he was no longer forced to kiss me, he carried on, grabbing hold of my arms, pulling me closer so his hands were in my hair. And the moon let go of me. For the time Edward kissed me, there was nothing but clarity. I remembered all that had happened, but I was the same again, not moonstruck, not for now. The moon wasn't affecting me, Edward was. And I was kissing him. In my own, sane mind, this would never be happening, but since the moonstruck Bella had initiated the kiss, it was only my right to follow it through. And start melting. My legs turned to jelly, and my head spun. I wound my hands in _his _hair to hold me up, and then broke free. I didn't have the moon as an excuse. I had kissed Edward, both of us in our right minds, both of us clearly willing.

But now that I'd let go of him, I'd let go of my anchor to the real world.

I stared at him for a second, this vampire, both of us gasping for breaths. My eyes danced across his face excitedly. "To the lake!" I declared, pulling him to the car before he could stop me.

**Okaay, long chap. I liked writing it, but I think I might have got carried away with Bella's insanity.. lol.**

**Seven Microsoft Word pages, can you believe?! xD**

**Tell me what you think, k? Cause I have no idea what it's like :P  
Personally, writing it I thought it was kinda funny, not to Bella, or to Edward, but the whole scene, y'know? xDD (:**

**Just… R&R, k? **

**& thanks for telling me you liked the last chapter. I read over it after I read the reviews, & I'm glad you liked it :D **

**Love! x (: **


	13. Chapter 13

**Ohh, I got plans for this chapter. xD**

"Wait, wait, _wait._" The vampire said, sitting in the car, hands on the steering wheel. "_Why_ are we going to the lake? Why are Alice and Ivy there?"

"Drive, vampire!_ Drive!!_" I yelled, grabbing the steering wheel, turning it from side to side, grabbing the gearstick and shaking it around impatiently, trying to make him _go_. I grabbed the hand brake, and the car shot forward when I pulled it up. I laughed, "More movement like that." I said approvingly.

The vampire looked at me, confused. He seemed to suppress any peculiarities, shivering, then nodding with pursed lips. He started the car, and began driving.

"Which way to the lake?"

"Left!" I called, once he had got off the driveway. The directions were imbedded into my mind; at a quick thought, I could see where every body of water was. He started driving along the road, blank with confusion. "Right!" I yelled.

"Right? Bella, there's no turn," He said, still not questioning my behaviour.

"So?" I pouted. "The lake is _that_ way, why not _go_ that way?"

"Bella…" He ran a hand through his hair, and glanced at me like I was a child.

"That way!" I shouted angrily, grabbing the steering wheel and making us take a sharp right turn. We went flying off the bank, onto a snowy field. "_Go,_ vampire!" I yelled. Contrary to what I demanded, he stopped the car quickly, and turned to look at me. I looked back at him fiercely, then back at the sky and the field ahead. "So we're just going to stop here?! Not go any further?!"

"Not until you tell me what's going on." He said angrily.

"We have to get to the lake, because the moon wants me to go there," I said, sounding like a child. A happy child, that is.

"This 'The Moon', is it a person? Or is it really just the rock in the sky? I _hope_ it's a person, because otherwise…"

"Yes, the moon is a being," I said happily. I didn't mention that it was a goddess, a mistress that looked after me, made me a creature of the sea. He just nodded thoughtfully, and didn't argue when I asked him to start the car again. He was silent the rest of the journey, pondering something.

"Oh, for fu-" He started angrily, just as we approached a fence. "This is a private farming area!" He said, just as I noticed sheep dashing out of the car's way, camouflaged in the snow.

"Gosh," I said apathetically. "Let's get to the lake now, shall we? Quit dillydallying." I pecked him on the cheek when he started the car, which surprised him. He raised his eyebrows and looked at me. I smiled sweetly, "Get on with it."

We reached the lake, and I leapt out of the car, and started running toward the murky waters… only to be caught around the waist by strong arms. "What are you doing?" The vampire whispered in my ear.

"I'm going for a swim, I'm going to see the moon." I said adamantly. His grip tightened, not letting me free. "Let me go," I groaned angrily.

"The water here is dangerous." He said warningly.

"I don't care. It won't bother me. I need to see the moon,"

"You can see it from here," He said, with a joking tone. "Shall we sit down and look at it?" He sat down, pulling me with him. I looked up at the moon, then got bored. I preferred to look at the reflection on the water, to touch the reflection…

I saw a boat on the lake; just a small rowing boat, no more than a dinghy. One silhouette was on it, and there was another being in the water. Ivy, I guessed. _She_ was allowed to go into the water, why wasn't I? "I need to go in the water," I gasped, balancing on the edge of a need that was painful.

He looked down at me sympathetically. "I'm sorry, Bella, but I'm not going to let you go into those disgusting waters, just to meet someone with a funny nickname. Why would you say to meet them out here, anyway?"

I stared up at him in confusion. _Meet who?_ I shrugged mentally, and looked back at the tempting waters, feeling the need to be there choking me. My throat started closing up, like I was being strangled, and my limbs started tingling. "Let me go, and I'll show you something _spectacular_," I whispered seductively to the vampire.

He quickly shook of the fazed look, "If I let you go, you'll go into that water and drown," He amended.

"No," I said quietly. "That's the thing: I'll show you how I _won't _drown,"

"Bella, come off it. I'm not going to let you go, and you can't talk me into letting you go kill yourself in the lake. For all we know, it might be a sewage disposal reservoir. It might have drains, or rubbish, things like that. Plus, there's no way of telling how deep it is, I'm not risking you."

I did what anybody would do when held captive: I struggled with all my might. Twisting from side to side, shaking, pulling one arm away, only for it to hold onto me again. We were probably equally matched – vampire and mermaid wise – but he wasn't in extreme pain, and he was a guy – not being sexist, but if it were a regular human fight, he would win hands down. In the end, he had my arms in a vice grip, and had managed to get a hold of my hands, too, so I couldn't use the water to freeze him there while I swam away. With an angry shriek, I gave up, tears streaming down my cheeks. I was so close… yet so far. Since I was crying, my throat closed even more, and I started breathing very heavily, like a child crying, being noisy.

"I'm sorry, Bella." The vampire whispered. I was too frustrated and upset to try and bite his arms away, and I knew it wouldn't work. He laughed nervously again. "So, person must be _really_ important to you, yeah?" He asked, trying to make it sound humorous. I didn't understand, or care, so I didn't respond. "'The moon' is a weird nickname, what's his real name?" Again I didn't answer. "Something 'Mooney'? Well, it does sound like a weird person…" Another little laugh.

"Bella! HEY!" Ivy called from the water. In the water. I burst into fresh tears, like a dam opening.

"Why can't _we_ go out there?!" I sobbed.

"We could go on one of those little boats?" He suggested, pointing to the line of old wooden boats tied up at the side of the lake.

"Yes!" I gasped, feeling the tears stop. On the water, I could easily escape. "Can we?" I said. I would have pulled him up and ran to the boats, was I not trapped. He stood up, and pulled me with him. When we got to the boats, the vampire groaned.

"They're all waterlogged." He looked around, to try and see if there were any others around, I presumed, and while his attention was elsewhere, I used my free hand to dry off the nearest boat's insides. Not that _I _minded, but the vampire wouldn't go out otherwise, and he wouldn't let me go, if we didn't go on the boat. I supposed I could probably free myself now, freeze him where he stood, or just punch him, but he chose that moment, just as I was clenching a fist, to turn and see steam fading from the now dry boat.

"What the-!?"

"Boat's dry, c'mon!" I yelled, and he pulled me onto the boat, lifting me gently onto the little wooden seat.

Once we were both sitting, and the boat was untied and away from the edge, he stared at me, as though figuring out a puzzle. "Bella, can I ask a few questions?" He asked.

"But of course," I said, not really paying much attention. I turned to look at the water, ready to jump in at any second.

"Is this really about meeting someone? I mean, it sounds too strange to be true, but you haven't offered any other explanation. To me, it sounds a little farfetched… but I just can't connect the situation to any other… Bella?" I was leaning over the boat's edge, and pushed off to dive in, just as I was caught again, and placed back down on my seat. "I mean, this is _exactly_ what I mean. I can't connect that behaviour with _anything._ What are you doing?!" I stared at him quickly, unapologetically. "You're as desperate as a fish out of water," He said, and his face froze suddenly, eyes widening. Then he shook his head, dispelling whatever thoughts he may have had. I looked at him again, the way a pet may look at an owner; uncomprehendingly, and uncaringly. He started talking again, but this time, I was trying to catch spray from the water. He noticed that, too. "Bella," He said sternly, reaching the oar out to knock my hand back, unfortunately using the dry spot. I reached for the part that had touched water, but it was already out of my grasp. The spray couldn't touch my skin at the back, either. My clothes just absorbed it. That was unfortunate, because that was the part that got the most water; where water resisted the boat's passage, it rose up and flicked my back. My clothing, anyway. Moonstruck mermaids aren't the smartest, but this idea was fabulous. **(AN: Or was it? Lolol) **I stood up, and looked at the moon's reflection again. It sat right ahead, like a giant, silver waterlily resting on darkness. The vampire watched me carefully, expecting me to try escape again. No, I was smarter. I began unbuttoning my shirt, slowly, only because the buttons were difficult to work. The vampire had stopped paddling, stopped doing anything. He sat there in confusion, shock, and awe, as though he couldn't believe what he was seeing. It was a positive effect, but not necessary. I set the light blue shirt down on the floor of the boat, then took my camisole off, till I was half naked, standing with just my bra and jeans on. Then, I sat down, and instantly felt the water soak the skin on my back. But of course, now that I'd almost stripped in front of him, the vampire didn't mind whether I put my hands in the water, whether I wanted to touch the oars, whether I'd-

Jump into the water. Not a moment too late. My tail formed just as I was underwater, so the vampire didn't see even a _hint_ of scales. Now that I was finally in the water, tailed, standing by the moon in her desired form, I could feel the full effect. Like a drug, I felt happy and upbeat, wacky and crazy. I floated to the surface, and clutched the side of the boat. I could remember the vampire's name – he'd told me it was Edward. "Edward," I whispered, seeing him stare over the other side, looking frantically. "Edward?" I said, louder. He gasped, and turned to look at me.

"Bella!" He yelled, reaching for my arms to pull me out. I moved out the way, just as he touched my hands, laughing merrily.

"Don't you want to swim?" I purred.

He looked at me in fear. "Bella-! NO! Get out of there!"

"Are you sure?" I cooed, taking one of his hands gently. Then, with a strong tug, he fell out of the boat, too. I laughed hysterically, watching him bob back up to face me, his face angry and frightened. I swam underneath him, and took a shoe. When I resurfaced, he was no longer angry, but purely worried. I put the shoe on my head, and modelled it from side to side. "Shoes, aren't they ridiculous? Well, they go on feet, and they're pretty stupid, too. I prefer _tails_."

"We _need_ to get back in the boat! Bella, you'll drown!"He gasped, frightened for _me. _I stared at his face for a second, then giggled.

"Ivy!" I called, still laughing. "Come see this vampire! It's hilarious!" She was beside me in seconds.

"Ivy! I-" Edward spluttered when more water got in his mouth. I laughed even harder, as did Ivy.

"Legs?" She asked knowingly.

"Yes," I laughed. "Pathetic. He thinks _I'll_ drown!" We both laughed, then with a silent signal, we both dove down, and grabbed one of his legs each, then swam toward the bottom of the lake, only to push back up. We threw him out of the water in the centre of the moon's refection. He flew several feet in the air, and we reached up to catch him. Suddenly, the circle of water the moon was touching started bubbling around the outside. Ivy moved to the side curiously, forgetting about the flying vampire. The boat she had been hanging around came nearer, too, and I floated there, distracted. My arms hung limply in the air, and I forgot why they had been there in the first place. The moon's effect was so much more interesting than whatever else had been happening. Something landed on my head, crushing my outstretched arms. The light in my head went out with a bright, white flash.

**Actually, I said I liked it, but I changed my mind. I know i've used like, loadsa full moons, but they're so fun to write! Next one, they're gonna adopt an elephant and have weird and wonderful adventures.... kidding ;D R&R? Much appreciated (:**

**Also, if you could have a look at my new story, if you're a 'The Host' fan. Its not really the same characters or storyline... it's like something else going on elsewhere. Its about two souls that love each other, then after they get seperated, the guy remarries. Its about the two souls - unable to feel hate, jealousy, any negative feelings - getting jealous, hating each other and competing for the same guy. It probably doesn't sound that interesting & i've only written one chap, but give it a go, if you want :D**

**#;**Lots o**'** Lovee! ;DD


	14. Chapter 14

I opened my eyes to the morning light, feeling ill. I felt like I'd been smacked on the head with a bag of bricks. Then I remembered; I might as well have been. I _hated_ full moons, I decided. I _hated _being a mermaid freak. All in one night, I'd kissed Edward, paraded him around like he was my pet, shown him how truly crazy I could be, _stripped_ in front of him, thrown him in the air, and nearly killed myself. Speaking of which, how was I not at the bottom of the lake? I looked around, and saw a small river right by my side, and the lake was to the left. I was caught on a tree hanging over the river opening, still in the water. Taking a tight grip on the tree branches - that hurt, actually - I looked over my shoulder to see my tail, a pretty pinkish red, almost standing, as it was vertical, limp. I smiled, and decided that being a mermaid wasn't so bad. It was good on my self esteem; the tail looked beautiful. Then, I tried assessing the situation. I was on the other side of the lake, the opposite side from which I'd arrived… in Edward's car… across a field… ugh.

There were two, empty boats side by side on the middle of the lake. I looked at them curiously, watching. Suddenly, Alice and Edward bobbed up beside the boats, looking frantic and insanely worried. I could just hear their conversation over the flow of the river. "I can't see her!" Alice cried, before turning and looking at one of the boats. I could barely see her expression, but I thought it was a sullen, angry look. "You can help!" She yelled furiously.

Ivy sat up from on the boat, and her face shone with moisture. Tears, maybe. "I looked, Alice. The only other place in this water would be…" She trailed off thoughtfully. I opened my mouth to yell, but was unhappy to find that any air I would use to form words came out like a sigh, or a wheeze. My throat really hurt. Sure, I could spend the night breathing underwater, but when it came back to breathing normal air, it was bound to make my throat a little hoarse.

"On a lighter side, look what I found? Aren't they pretty? They are, they're very pretty. Like shells, but thinner. Alice do you think these are fish scales? They're too big to be fish scales. Yes, I think they're too big, what do you think Ivy? Are these fish scales?" Said a very high-pitched voice, coming from Edward. Edward was babbling. He looked insane, like he'd just won the lottery jackpot, and torn up the winning ticket accidentally. I expected him to do a crazy laugh, and then combust.

Though he was talking crazy, finding interest in silly things, _these_ little things were not silly, apparently. Ivy froze. "Edward, where did you find them?" She asked quietly, panicking.

"These? I got these over there," He pointed over to the river, where I was hidden by the tree. I tried to move, so they could see me, but I couldn't move. My tail wouldn't move. "There was a big, sharp pointy rock, right where the underwater river current gets real strong. There's a big cluster of them over there. Like shells. Maybe they are shells. Ivy?" She was crouching over the edge of the boat, staring over to where he had pointed. She looked at the things he held up to her again, and I stretched, wanting a look, too. What I saw made my blood run cold, and I felt like I had a fever. He held two, pinkish red scales up, and they glinted in the cold, morning sunlight. I tried moving my tail again, and registered why it wouldn't move. It was too painful to move.

Using only my hands, I painfully pulled myself closer to the tree. I remembered Edward falling on my arms last night. I must have done something to it, but I couldn't be sure what. I got close to the bank, and grabbed on to it, then started pulling myself to the left, away from the river. Of course, all around this side of the lake _would _be trees. My luck. Instead of poking myself in the eye with tree branches, and trying futilely to contact the creatures in the middle of the lake, I heaved myself into a little greenery gap on the bank. I felt really dizzy, whether it was just the use of nonexistent energy, or because I'd been clobbered on the head by a vampire, I wasn't sure. I tried turning over so I was on my back, but leaning on my left hurt, and the white lights exploded in the back of my mind. I gritted my teeth, but of course, a shrill cry escaped . Sure, so I couldn't talk, couldn't call for help, but I could scream my lungs out? I quickly flipped onto my back using my right side, and examined my tail, to see if I had been right. Yes. Of course, I screamed again. A large part of my left side had been torn away, from my hip and the top of my tail scales to where my knees were. A large, deep scrape. There were no scales left, just lots of dark red flesh and some shining, transparent liquid. I sobbed. It was disgusting, and _very_ painful.

"Bella?!" Voices were yelling, coming closer. I gasped, shuddering, then dried myself off. As soon as I was back to legs and jeans, a dark red stain formed around where the cut had been. Edward was the first to appear, swimming as fast as he could, then scrambling up the bank. I yelled wordlessly, trying to warn him about the blood, but he noticed, and shook his head quickly, before realization hit him. He sank to his knees beside me, eyes wide with sadness.

"Bella." He whispered. "I'm so, so sorry."

"It wasn't your fault," I said briskly, tightly. The fabric of my jeans was starting to stick to the wound, a feeling that was making me ill. "Can I take my jeans off? They're sticking to me,"

"Undo your buttons," He said, sounding a lot like Carlisle. Not that Carlisle would say that…

"I beg your pardon?!" I gasped.

"Undo your buttons, so we can take your jeans off to tend to the wound." He said patiently. I thought about that quickly, then realized something Edward either hadn't, or was very confused about. _How had I got a cut without tearing my jeans?_ I didn't want to draw attention to that, so I just obliged, undoing my jeans, jerking my sore arm. I blushed slightly, remembering that I had already stripped off to my bra in front of him last night. I tried to forgot that, too. He was pulling the jeans from the wound, slowly and gently, when Alice appeared, running up the bank.

"Well well well," Alice said crudely, raising an eyebrow suggestively when she caught sight of the two of us - until she caught a smell of the blood, and plugged her nose. "Oh my God! What on earth happened here?!" She knelt beside me and held my hand, helping me.

"I-I got knocked unconscious when Edward…" I trailed off, gritting my teeth when the scratchy material of my jeans scraped along the last of the cut, catching on my knees. This time, I didn't even squeak when it hurt. "And I must have… drifted off down the lake, to the river. And I- I got caught on that tree. I don't know what happened about my leg…" My speech was stunted because Edward had started to inspect the wound, poking and prodding around the skin. I wondered how he kept himself from attacking me and taking all my blood. I could tell he was breathing. "E-Edward, maybe another… a _human_ doctor?" I said quietly.

"Carlisle." He amended. I looked at his face, to see his expression. Well, his eyes were a very dark gold, almost brown, but he still hadn't went for the red stuff. He appeared to be in pain, more in pain than I was. He kept touching my skin, my hair, as though making sure I was still there, still alive. "Bella," He whispered, his voice cracking.

A boat appeared, and Ivy leapt the distance across to the bank. "I've called Carlisle," she said quickly, going to sit beside Alice.

Edward didn't hear her, or pay her any attention, "Will someone call Carlisle?!" He asked.

"I already did!" Ivy said. He didn't respond.

"Do you think you got your leg cut?" Alice asked. We all managed to stare up at her – even Edward – as if to say 'duh'. "Alright, I get that. What I _meant_ to say was, _how_ did you get a cut like that, so deep?"

_A big sharp rock near a strong river_. I was going to say, but then I remembered I wouldn't know. "It must have been when I was in the water, unconscious…"

"Then how come we didn't smell the blood?" Edward asked quietly, his voice still strained, broken. There was a silence where I pondered that. There _wasn't_ any blood. I looked at Ivy, and saw she was trying very hard to look confused. If she knew, it must have been some kind of mermaid thing.

Alice hadn't noticed the look. "Actually, I _did_ smell something. It wasn't blood but…" She looked at Ivy then, and understood the significance of what she was about to say. There wasn't blood when I was a mermaid, but there was that shining liquid. Maybe Alice had smelt _that. _"Ohhh," She said in understanding. Edward stared at them, then realized there were more important things to be doing. Blood was pouring from my leg, slowly, but still a large amount, and it was making me feel lightheaded. He took hold of my bloodstained jeans, looking at the bloody patch with mild confusion, but oddly enough, a slightly relieved expression. He tore off a leg, and used it as bandaging around my wound.

"Get her shirt from the boat," He commanded. Alice obliged quickly, shirt and the camisole. "I still don't understand why this was in the boat," She muttered, and I blushed furiously, with whatever blood I had left. He got all my leg bandaged, just as the cavalry arrived. Okay, by cavalry, I meant Carlisle. He had somehow managed to get his car around the right side of the lake, and ran towards us, full doctor/paramedic mode.

"Help me get her in the car," He commanded, just as I closed my eyes, and drifted off.

* * *

When I woke up, I was lying on my bed back at the Denali house. My wrist was lightly bandaged, and the whole top part of my left leg was covered in proper, fabric bandages, with something to stop it moving at the knee. There was a small TV on the desk across from the bed; it hadn't been there before so I guessed that they'd moved it for me so I wouldn't get bored… because I'd be here for a while. I sighed unhappily. Suddenly, Ivy walked in, and sat down on the bed beside me. "Hey," She said, and I quickly responded. The room went quiet for a long time, so she grabbed the remote and switched the TV on.

"Ivy…" I said hesitantly. "You remember the full moon, and what happened when we were in the water? Y'know, the… bubbling ring?"

"Oh, that." She said dismissively.

"Well, what was it? You can't say it was normal."

"It wasn't… really. It's magic! I haven't seen that happen in a while, what with being too deep underwater and stuff. But it happens every midnight on a full moon, as long as the reflection is on water. Strange things happen a lot… like, from the mermaids I've met, new mermaids are made once every 50 years with these reflections. I guess we'll have to see what happened with that one?" She smiled, but said nothing else. I couldn't think of any other questions I wanted to ask, though there were definitely plenty still there. "Anything you want to watch?" She asked, and I shook my head. I didn't watch a lot of TV, so I didn't have any preferences. She channel hopped for a while, pausing for a minute on every channel. She suddenly stopped on one channel, and watched the adverts for a while. I looked around the room, seeing if anything else had changed. "Oh no!" She whispered suddenly, horrified. I looked at her quickly, then looked down at myself. None of the bandages had changed or anything, so I looked at the TV instead.

It was one of those charity adverts, the ones where you send in a few dollars a month to 'adopt' an animal, when really, you were just funding its care, and it would send you letters and updates. "I can't believe that," She whispered, really_ very_ upset. "How can that little elephant be worth only $3? They must _really _not want it." She shook her head sadly. "I'm going to buy it. We'll give it a good home back in Forks, right?" I stared at her uncomprehendingly, then decided that it could be interesting to see what she made of 'owning an elephant'. It would be easier than trying to explain to her. She picked up my mobile from the bedside table, and fished out a plastic card from her pocket.

"Where'd you get that?" I asked her, worried.

She flashed it at me, and I saw that it was Edward's credit card. "I saw it ages ago, and I thought it looked important, and I learnt that it _was_ when we went shopping with Alice. So I kept it." She grinned.

I raised my eyebrows at her, and just shrugged in the end. Whatever. I'm sure Edward wouldn't mind. She started dialling the on screen number, just as Edward walked into the room, too. He watched her talk on the phone for a little while, then disregarded it. "How're you doing?" He asked, and I shrugged.

"I'm okay, I guess. I can't feel the places it hurts… well, I can't feel the _hurt_, if that makes sense." I said thoughtfully. He nodded.

"I was just wondering… about… what happened, last night." He said, pausing to think of his words carefully.

I stared at him blankly. I had honestly no way to explain it… unless… I remembered something he'd said. "I guess it was the cocktails Emmett gave me," I said, pretending to be confused myself.

"I _knew_ it! I _knew_ it had something to do with Emmett!" He said. Then, his happiness seemed to fall. "You're lying." He stated. He opened his mouth to speak again, before being interrupted by Ivy, who was loudly listing numbers.

"-...722! Yep, you've got them. That's right: 0361-" She was cut off, when Edward, who recognized his card numbers and tackled her. "Hey!" She yelled at him. "Yes, you've got it anyway, okay, thank you!" She hung up. "Sorry! Sorry! I just wanted an elephant, they were selling him for _three dollars!"_ She scrambled out from under him and stood up from the floor, then sat on the bed. Edward did the same.

"Ivy," He said through gritted teeth. "They don't actually _give_ you the elephant. You're just giving them money to care for it."

She looked at him in shock, then glowered at me, who was laughing from the scene. "You could've said!"

"It was more fun otherwise." I laughed.

"So… the elephant isn't coming here?" She said forlornly. Edward laughed too, seeming to decide that a few dollars every now and then wasn't too important. She glowered for another minute, then left the room.

He looked at me again, "I'll talk about how you acted yesterday later… I'm not annoyed or anything, but…" He stopped that conversation. "What I wanted to talk to you about is that we only found one rock that you could have got that… scrape," His eyes showed pain, just thinking about my injury, and I felt myself like him more, I sort of melted at his care. "But it was covered in loads of fish scales. Ivy suggested that there was a weird fish in the water, and it bit you, but… I thought it would be best to get some and take them back so Carlisle could inspect them, and I was just wondering if you remembered anything like that happening?" I got a horrible feeling in my stomach as I thought of that. Oh, God. He'd taken some of my scales – my skin! – home.

"Where are they? Can I see them?" I asked quickly.

"They're in the main room. I kept them in an old fishtank so they wouldn't shrivel and dry."

"I've got to see them," I said, trying to stand. I had to get rid of them, before he saw that they wouldn't _shrivel_ when dry.

**Oooh, :D**

**I **_**actually**_** have a proper plan now :P I adore the ideas that you guys give me, as you can see, ****VeggieGirl15****, lol. I know there's been a few others, & I'm just waiting till I can add them in. I fancy adding in another chapter tonight, but no promises, k? (:**

**R&R? Much appreciated. Fabulous (:**

**#;**Lots o' Lovee :D xxx


	15. Chapter 15

"You can see them later, when you're feeling a little better." He said firmly.

"I _do_ feel better!" I cried, shuffling along the bed to get up. It would have worked, had I not fallen on him. "I _need _to get a look at them!"

"Look, Bella, no offence, but because of the crazy way you were the other day, I'm not all for following your demands. I'm sorry, but I'm confused, and… worried." He admitted, taking one of my hands.

"Okay, Edward. I didn't want to do this… so soon, but I guess I have to. I need to tell you about why… I acted like that…" I sighed, thinking quickly, but in the end, I guess it was just an ad-lib. "Right. Okay. Here goes. Edward? I think I've decided. I _do _want to get back together with you. I didn't realize until after last night. I guess that… y'know how… I'm always dead shy and quiet? Well, I was really confused last night. I wasn't sure what I wanted, and I just sort of… let myself go… and… got carried away with… it." I said slowly, trying hard to be convincing.

He thought about that for a while, and I scrambled, thinking he wouldn't believe me. "Plus, Emmett really _did_ give me alcohol… vodka, I think." I grinned.

"We don't have any alcohol in the house," Edward said, raising an eyebrow.

I shrugged. "Emmett did." I could see Edward didn't believe me, but he seemed satisfied to leave the subject, since there was one he was more interested in.

Again, he sat there, pondering something. Then, he looked at me with a resolution, and moved closer, gently taking my other hand, the one with the sore wrist. "So, you really do want to be with me?" He asked seriously, and though he hid it well, I could still see there was a great amount of his emotions hanging on my answer. I had a weird thought of him down on one knee, not with a wedding ring, but with a 'U+ME' LoveHearts sweet. It was ridiculous, but the moment felt a little like it. A laugh bubbled in my throat, and I couldn't help when it escaped. He raised his eyebrows, then seemed to think he'd been played a fool, and became disheartened.

"Yes, I mean it," I smiled, _and I did mean it_. "I missed you so much when you were gone." I sighed.

"You know I missed you, right? I mean, I told you, but apparently, you were drunk," He smiled, sort of.

"… I heard."

"I'm glad." He grinned, a real, crooked smile. "So you know I lied when I said I didn't love you and-"

"Yes! Yes, I know," I laughed. "But Edward? I think that-" I stopped; just about to tell him that I didn't want to jump back into our relationship, that I wanted to take things slowly, get used to them again, but he stopped my words with a kiss, just on the back of my hand. He kissed it again, then looked up at me, with those molten gold, intense eyes.

"You were saying?" He breathed onto my hand.

"Uhh…" I said in a high pitched voice. "I can safely say," I would have said I couldn't remember, but I could remember, and it felt silly. It wasn't fair, him dazzling me. "It doesn't matter one bit," I sighed. "Do you think I could…" He read my mind; though he couldn't, and kissed me. And it was perfect, oh so perfect. He was as cold as ever, but that electrical current was still there, strong as ever, if not stronger. He smelled like sunshine and flowers, and the strength of the wonderful scent intensified when he exhaled slightly. I breathed in the unused air, and turned to liquid just as he put his arms around me.

The kiss was longer and deeper than we'd ever had before, since Edward had been afraid of getting carried away and biting me. That brought something else to my mind, but only faintly, as my mind was on other things. Like trying to untangle my hands from his hair. I'd been surprised when he didn't pull away the instant I raised my arms; and now I'd gotten my fingers all twisted and was too scared to just yank them out, in case I pulled his hair, too. Not that his hair was tangled, I mean, he'd clearly run a brush through it or something, but…

"Uh… Bella?" Edward said, his face now far from mine. "Do you mind, er, letting go of me?"

"I can't." I sighed, like there was nothing we could do about it. Not that I minded, either. I shook my hands lightly, and he winced. "Huh…" I said, and did it again. "As a vampire, does that hurt?" I shook my hands again. Maybe a vampire's scalp is its weak point… Hah.

"No, I'm just worried that you're going to tear some hair out – it doesn't grow back. Maybe if you could take my hair out of the _bandage_?" He suggested, as though it was obvious.

"Oh, right, yeah," I smiled, then tried to pull it away with my other, semi-free hand. And when I got it loose, I noticed a small clump of hair stuck between my fingers. "Aah!" I squeaked, quickly throwing the piece of hair away; disposing of the evidence.

"What?" He asked concernedly, tentatively touching his hair, while I pondered the idea of wigs. I finally looked up, when he didn't scream at the baldness, and realized he didn't have a bald patch. There was nothing wrong with his hair, I was being overdramatic. "You thought you'd ruined my hair, didn't you?" He smiled. "Don't worry, _that's_ impossible." He laughed.

"Don't be so sure!" I laughed, reaching for his hair again. I think we both realized that it wasn't really _that_ funny, but it cleared the air a little. We both did that noisy sigh that you always get after laughter and before silences.

"I shouldn't have done that." Edward stated. He didn't sound sad, or happy.

"Help me get my hands out of your hair? I don't think that's true." I avoided the real subject, because I knew he was right. We shouldn't have leapt right into a kiss like that.

"You know what I mean," He said. "But…"

"But personally, I didn't mind," I said quietly. Sure, _sense _minded, but who listened to _sense_ when with their on-again-boyfriend? I just hoped he wouldn't be an 'on-again, off-again'. I couldn't deal with that.

"Exactly. I _shouldn't_ have done it, but…"

"Finish your sentences." I smiled.

"I don't know how," He said sheepishly. "I love you, and that's all I really care to say," He said quietly.

"That's rather rash," I said seriously. He blanched. At his expression, I laughed. "I love you, too." I said. It didn't matter whether I meant it or not.

"Unless you want me to stay, I'm going downstairs; let you get some rest." He said, standing up.

"Wait, don't I get crutches? I want to go downstairs,"

"Whatever you need from downstairs, I'll get it for you," He beamed.

"Yeah, _crutches_. And if you could ask Ivy to come and talk to me, too? Thank you,"

"I don't think we have any crutches, Bella." He said apologetically, holding on to the door handle. "But I'll go get Ivy."

"So you weren't prepared for me?! You didn't expect something like this to happen?" I demanded playfully.

He looked taken aback, "It's not like you to admit to clumsiness," He observed.

"Well, I enjoy freedom. There are things I need to do," I scowled.

"Er… okay." He said, confused, then left the room. A minute later, Ivy appeared, still scowling.

"Did you know _anything_ about Edward keeping those scales?!" I asked impatiently.

"No… he _kept some?!_" She replied, going into a panic.

"Not just _some_, he went back and got the whole lot, pretty much!" I huffed. "What will we do?"

"I could get rid of them?" She suggested, taking in my state.

I shook my head sadly. "You can't just move them away, they're in a fish tank full of water. Unless you moved the water out, or just flung them away…"

"But then he'd wonder, right? It would be more obvious there was something about them."

"We could make it look like an accident? Like you didn't know what they were?" I shrugged.

"Not likely, he showed me them when we were looking for you. He knows that I know he was interested in them. What was he planning to do with them, anyway?"

"Ask Carlisle to inspect them," I said glumly, before brightening. "Wait! Carlisle could just tell him they're some kind of fish scales, and that they're useless. Then, _he_ could throw them out. Plus, Carlisle could _really_ inspect them, and find out some stuff about…us?"

"I'll need to be with Carlisle, not Edward." Ivy said, nodding.

"_We,_" I amended.

"No, _I_," She said. "_You're_ still on bed rest. And I'm sure he'll want to have them looked at soon, or at least start messing with them soon. And you know that when they dry out, it'll just be skin?" I nodded, angry that I was being so left out. "Okay, so I'll convince Edward to leave when Carlisle starts looking at them, and of course, Carlisle will guess what they are, and he'll help me. And then they'll be gone, nothing to worry about." She smiled, then thought. "You know, I don't know why we can't just let them know. It'd be so much simpler." She sighed.

"Look, I've just got back together with Edward and-"

"Really? That's great, Bella," She smiled.

"I've just got back together with Edward, _and,_ I don't want to ruin it again. He's got used to dating me as a human, and that's the way I'd like it to stay, for now. If he knew, I'd just feel like he wanted to be with me because I was something different, something new to him. I wouldn't feel right, and it _does_ feel right to be with Edward. Somehow." I sighed. "And if too many others know, they're bound to let him hear it in their mind. It's not something he'd want to know by hearing it in someone else's head."

"But he'd want to know, right?" Ivy said.

"Probably _not_." I groaned.

"He wouldn't mind if he knew _I_ was a mermaid, though, would he?" She wondered.

"Well, no, but it wouldn't take him long to put two and two together." I reasoned. She stared at me stupidly. "I mean, it wouldn't take him long to guess that we're _both_ mermaids, considering we were both insane and at the lake when the full moon was up. I mean, he didn't believe my excuses much, so once he has info on _you_, he might think that's what was up with me, too."

"If I don't tell him about the moon?" She said.

"Just don't tell them anything." I warned.

"Right, fine," She scowled. There was a silence. "…So you and Edward, huh?" She grinned, and winked.

"Yeah… I guess."

"So dish! Details, Bella!"

It was surprising how much Alice's personality had rubbed off on her. "Well, there's not much to tell. Pretty much, I sort of used wanting being confused about wanting to get back together with him as an excuse for being crazy yesterday, even though it wasn't an excuse, it was true, just sort of sped up. Then, he kinda… kissed me…"

"Ooh!" She grinned with the excitement of gossip, then made the gesture for me to carry on.

I was hesitant to tell her the rest, because it was embarrassing. Such a wonderful moment, and I had ruined it. "Well, it was… great, to be honest. And then, I ruined it, by getting my hands stuck in his hair. My bandage trapped some of his hair and…" She was in hysterics. "Shut up!" I groaned. "And that was it, really."

"Gosh…" She said.

"So what about you and Jake?" I asked, diverting the conversation. "You haven't seen him for a while, have you spoken to him?"

"How do you know I haven't seen him?" She said, smirking, her eyes flashing devilishly. O…kay, conversation ender.

"Er… so you _have_ seen him?" I ask, determined not to be freaked out.

"Oh, yes," She grinned. "You know that Jasper _did_ have a car?" She laughed.

"Did he?" I said, raising my eyebrows.

"Yup. But I don't think he's found it yet… I got to La Push, after I _borrowed_ it, then when I left… well, I was surprised I _got_ there, in the first place. It's somewhere on the highway, crashed against a lamppost." She sighed ruefully.

"Great." I laughed. "So, any gossip about that?" I asked, wondering if I really wanted to know.

"Oh, plenty," She grinned. "But not for young ears like yours,"

"Says the mermaid that has only ever lived in the sea," I huffed. "Plus, when you were human, you weren't even allowed to show _ankle_!"

"The _good girls_ didn't," She smirked.

"_You and Carlisle?!_" I exclaimed, closing my eyes and shuddering. That was too weird. I thought of Carlisle as another Dad, and Ivy as a sister… ew.

"Noo!" She laughed. "It doesn't matter. Either way, I'm telling you nothing."

"So, I take it the imprint thing isn't so bad, really?" I said, remembering her annoyance when she found out.

"Oh? Definitely not. He's amazing,"

"Okay then." I sighed, deciding not to go any further with the conversation. "Are you going to start your mission now, or later on?" I smiled at the word _mission_.

"Oh, I know when I'm not wanted." She sighed, then laughed. "I'll test it for a few days, then when things start happening, I'll snap right to it," She smiled. "Can I get you anything?"

"Yes, _crutches!_" I exclaimed angrily.

"I don't think I can get you them," She said apologetically.

"Well don't ask, if you can't do it! Go on, get out of here!" I yelled, laughing. She scrambled out of the door, dramatically frightened, before laughing, too.

I sighed, and lay back down on the bed, instantly bored. I wondered a little if I should have asked for a wheelchair instead.

**Ayyyy! At long last, another chapter. (: R&R, telleth me whateth you thinketh. Aha :D**

**I didn't really want to do different points of view, but I think I might need to do an Ivy POV for the next chapter. But I won't, if you tell me that you'd rather I didn't (: s'up to you.**

**Just say :P**

**Loveeeee! xxx**


	16. Chapter 16

Until I heard any other news from Ivy, I felt like I had the plague. I mean, they brought me food, and chatted to me for a while after that, and came when I yelled on them, but it's not like they'd want to hang around for a while. Rosalie brought me a cane through, something I was grateful of, but I despised that bit of wood with a passion. She'd got it when shopping with Alice. She said it meant I could walk around with it, but it was going to be hard going down the stairs and stuff. I interpreted that it was _really_ there so that they didn't have to come escort me to the bathroom all the time, which I was glad of, but it made me feel old, or like _Dr. House._

Edward's visits were short, but blissful. When he walked in the room, somehow, positive energy just shone into the room, even when he looked confused, or worried about something. I took that as a sign that Ivy's plan was working. Alice's visits were frightening; I wasn't sure if she was just going to get sick of me being injured, tear my leg off, and get me a prosthetic one. Not that she was aggressive, she just seemed to have far too much energy to hang around me. So instead, I spent most of my time looking out the window. I had a chair set up in front of it, meaning I could look out into the snowy, cold forests and plains. Something about being all warm inside when it was freezing outside - especially with such a cozy room – just made everything feel great. Though sometimes claustrophobic. The window was open a lot.

I know that this sounds like I've been a hermit for ages, but really, it had only been two days since Ivy decided her plans and set to work on her mission. It was a surprise when Emmett knocked on the door, seeing as he only liked making jokes about my clumsiness through the door, or pestering me when _he_ could injure me. It wasn't really in Emmett to be sensitive and caring. "Beeeeeellaaaa?" He sang in a high pitched voice. "Can I come iiiiiiiiii-iiiin?"

"Yeah, sure," I called. He quickly snuck through, slamming the door behind him. I slowly turned away from the window, interested in his latest escapades. What I saw was _not_ what I expected. Emmett was standing by my door, wearing a short, blonde bob wig, over the top makeup – blue eyeshadow and red lipstick with cherry red cheek blush – and he had an unlabeled bottle and two wine glasses in his hands. I could actually feel my jaw drop. "Emmett?!" I gasped. "What has Alice _done_?!"

He shrugged. "Nothing, actually. This was all me, what do you think?"

"You look like a transvestite, transsexual, drag queen." I laughed, still positively worried.

"_I'm just a sweet transvestite, from transsexual, Transylvaniaaaa-ha-ha!"_ He quoted Dr. Frank'n'furter, walking over to put his things on the bed, before walking over to my little wooden chair and scooting it closer to the things, things I _suspected_ to be alcohol. "Why am I here? My big brother senses were tingling. It seems you've been _neglected_," He laughed at the word, seeing as it was nothing like that, "So I thought you might want some girl time with one of the gals, but they're all busy… doing… I don't know, actually. But anyway, I thought we could pretend like we're forty year old women drowning our sorrows with a hidden alcohol stash and bitch about the other women living around town, and how annoying our husbands are."

"Err… Emmett, as much as I appreciate the gesture of you wanting to make… me … feel _old,_ I'm starting to get creeped out by you, _and_ question the reality of this little blip in my life. Huh, maybe I died, and now I'm going to get drunk out of my face with the soul of Emmett McCarthy in heaven. Weird." I smiled at my musings.

"Bella, you're not dreaming or dead, or whatever." He said, shaking his head in mock disappointment. "Look, you can take it as though I really do want to have a girly heart to heart with you, maybe do your hair and stuff, talk about how stunningly _hot _that Edward Cullen happens to be, or… you could understand me when I say that absinth-" He paused, picking up the unlabeled bottle, with the strange, green liquid inside it, and shaking it pointedly, "Happens to be one of the very few drinks that can actually make a vampire drunk." I stared at the bottle, then at him, slowly understanding his strangeness today. "…And, has a possibility to make humans go mad, or die," He muttered quickly.

"What?" I said, thinking I'd misheard.

"Nothing!" He chimed happily, opening the bottle and pouring some of it into both glasses. He held one out to me, but I was hesitant.

"Where did you get _that,_ anyway?" I'd heard that they had started selling a non-dangerous drink like that again, but this one seemed like it _was._

"Carlisle's old and sentimental, right? Go ask him where he gets his junk! Cause _this_ is one of those things." He took a swig of his glass. "I mean, where do I get _all_ things? Things are just material, do we _ever_ own things? I say…" He started, before stopping, and frowning. Then he looked at me, eyebrows raised, "Gosh," was all he said. That had to be the fastest acting alcohol I'd ever seen, and it was working on a vampire! Maybe if I just had a _little_, I mean, alcohol takes away pain for a while, right? And I'd been drunk before, at celebrations and stuff, and Renee didn't mind me having alcohol, every now and again. I took the glass from his hand, and stared at it for a while. "Dare you to guzzle it," He smiled, eyes wild under all that makeup. It was a little disconcerting seeing a drunk, macho vampire looking like a woman.

I shook my head, not at his dare, but at the thoughts in my head, before putting the glass to my lips and tilting my head back and letting it flow down my thoat. It burned slightly, but it wasn't too bad. As soon as I felt it settle in my stomach, I felt a little lightheaded, like there was a helium balloon travelling up my spine, into my brain.

The stuff _was_ powerful. I could barely stay on my chair, though that didn't stop me from tilting it, twisting it, seeing if I _could _stay on the chair. I couldn't. I lay on the floor, wondering how I'd managed to get there. Emmett walked around and stood towering above me, hands on his hips. He lifted me to my feet, and handed me my cane. I stood on my strong leg, and smacked him on the head with it. He cringed, I laughed. He winced, I laughed. He reached his arms out, I _didn't_ laugh. Especially not when he snapped it.

"Aw, crap. How'm I meant to stand now?!" I glowered at him. He looked down at my feet, and started giggling.

"Bella, you_ are_ standing!" He laughed.

"I _am?!_" I looked down at my legs and feet, too. "Omigosh, I _am!_" I cried happily.

"Victory dance!" Emmett yelled joyously.

"Why, what did we win?" I asked suspiciously.

"… I don't know." He said thoughtfully. "But we can still dance!" He grabbed my arms, and started moving. I did, too, but then I fell with a _thud_.

"_I_ can't move," I yelled up at him.

"S'ok." He laughed. "You are so drunk, you can't even walk, or stand!" He giggled away.

"I can't stand because… my leg hurts!" I cried defensively, though it sounded lame.

"You're so drunk," He stated, still laughing.

"Am not! You're drunker…erer? Drunkerer." I said confusedly. "Drunked. You're drunked." I smiled, raising an eyebrow.

"_Drunked?_ That's not a word. I think you mean-"

"It _IS_ a word, shut up!" I screeched, still laughing.

"Anyway. Do what, what want you do?" He stuck his tongue out and pulled a face, as though dispelling something from his mouth. "What do you want to do?"

"More wiihne?" I asked in a French accent, holding my glass out for a refill.

He obliged, scowling. "That isn't a thing to do, that's a…" He paused as I drank all the contents of my glass. "Okay, that _is_ a thing to do. Er… drunken pranks?"

"Like what?" I said, feeling my spine tingle with the alcohol.

"Pranks are easy, come on," He said, forgetting that I was still lying here on the floor, unable to walk around. I started using my hands, gripping the carpet to pull me along. He turned and caught sight of what I was doing, and instead of picking me up, he fell on his stomach beside me. "CRAWL RACE!" He yelled, and we raced.

There wasn't one room we didn't put a prank in. The bathroom was possibly the riskiest; PVA glue in the shower gel and bubble bath bottles, cut up newspaper, honey, hair dye, tomato juice, all these things replaced shampoo and conditioner, fake tan in the face wash creams, snow in the body lotion bottles. We weren't too nasty, there was no hair removal creams used, or any crude materials, and we didn't use any of the absinth. We wouldn't want to waste and of that dear, sweet wiiihne, now, would we?

Emmett, forgetting where he lived, wanted to fill his room with farm animals, and who was I to stop him? Actually, come to think of it, _Rosalie_ would freak, Emmett would have the time of his life…

We glued Alice and Jasper's room door shut, after wreaking havoc in there. It looked like a toilet paper party!

On the stairs on the way up to Edward's room, we greased them, waxed them, oiled them, until nobody would be able to walk up them without falling. We did that one backwards, stupidly. We oiled the stairs, then decided we wanted to go upstairs. Emmett tried to get upstairs, and successfully proved that the oily stairs would be a hit. Emmett hid lots of important things in Carlisle and Esme's room, under the floorboards I _think?_ And we figured Ivy was in her room, somehow, so we didn't go in.

Then, Emmett decided it wasn't fair that he was a girl, and I wasn't a boy, so he had me all dressed up in one of his smallest suits, tied my hair up and put a cap on my head, and drew a moustache and a beard on me. Then, he carried me down the stairs, bridal style. When the rest of the family saw us, I think there was an altogether 'Oh, jeez.' And a rolling of the eyes. Turned out, that before we proved it, Carlisle and Esme were the only ones who knew the secret of drunk vampires. The rest of them were not pleased. They looked at Carlisle for a minute, until the silence was broken by the very distinct sound of a goose clucking. Everybody flinched.

"What was that?" Rosalie asked quietly, eyes wide.

"_Pssst! _How'd you sneak them into the house without anyone seeing or hearing?" I stage whispered to Emmett, and we both laughed.

"The _window!_" He hissed back. Rosalie disappeared in an angry, blonde blur, flying upstairs. Everyone was silent again, like the calm before murderous lightning bolts stormed down.

There was a sudden, blood curdling screech. "_Eeeeemmeeeett!!" _She screamed, stressing out the E's. All remaining eyes landed on Emmett and I again. Then, Rosalie returned, cursing and swearing, still screaming. "You know what they did? Those _animals?!_ You want to go up there and _smell it?! _Go _clean it?!_ Because you know what you'll be doing? Exactly that!" She snarled, grabbing his ear. He dropped me on the sofa, turning toward Rosalie in pain.

"You said pets you wanted!" He cried defensively, then blinked repeatedly in confusion. "You said you wanted pets!" He repeated, getting it right. " 'Let's get a pet,' she said. 'It'll be great,' she said. 'I won't kill you,' she said. All _lies!_ Is this our relationship?!"

She rolled her eyes, and dragged him away. "Just for that, you're cleaning it with your tongue." She hissed.

When they left, there was a quiet minute when everyone wanted to laugh, but didn't for fear of helping Emmett. Well, except me. I was in hysterics. Edward walked over, and picked me up, again, bridal style. He started carrying me upstairs, to my room. "You're drunk." He said in surprise. No anger, no worry or glee. Just amazement.

"Ugh, don't _start_." I groaned. "I'm _drunked,_ okay?! Such bad grammar, you vampires…" I shook my head.

By that time, we were back in my room. He set me down on the bed and tucked me in gently. "You must be really tired," He smiled.

"Not at all," I said, and meant it. I felt like I could still run a marathon… or probably just a little bit of one.

"I could sing you to sleep?" He suggested.

Oh, how quickly states of mind can change. "Actually, I _do_ feel tired." I smiled, and he laughed. He walked around the bed and lay beside me, curling his arm around me.

"Try and get to sleep, my wild child Bella." He murmured into my ear, and kissed my hair softly. "You know, I can't actually believe you _did_ get drunk. It's just so… un-Bella."

"Huh… and did you mind? Do you think it should be more of a frequent thing? You, me, a bottle of absinthe, getting garden gnomed?" I smiled, expecting his response.

Though he'd been light and teasing before, his mood changed suddenly. He froze, "Alcohol is very bad for you, Bella," He said seriously. _Bingo._

"Thought so," I smirked. He ignored that, though I think I might have heard him laugh a little, before he started humming my lullaby, and I _did _actually fall asleep.

**Okay, sorry, a bit of a filler. But I didn't fancy having Bella out of it for days, or having Ivy come right back with news. I mean, Edward's not **_**that**_** obsessed with the scales. He's just hoping his little lamb is okay :P **

**BTW, in case you haven't seen Michael McIntyre's Live & Laughing comedy... thing... the 'getting garden gnomed' is an improv of a joke. He said that posh people (anybody really, lol) can use any word in the world to mean drunk. "Gazebo'ed, pyjama'ed." It's a really funny joke. Youtube him, he's great (:**

**I fancied trying humor, R&R, tell me what you think of it? :D Plus, I wanted to see Emmett drunk. It **_**had**_** to be done, right? Lol. Or not, you decide. **

**Speaking of deciding, im not doing an Ivy POV… Idk why. Someone said they wouldn't want that, and nobody exactly disagreed. But if you **_**do**_** want, I've still not written it yet, so just say. But personally, I think I'd rather leave it all Bella…**

**#;Lot's o' loooove! xxx**


	17. Chapter 17

"Oh, well done, Jackass," A loud voice grumbled from beside me. Groggily, I opened my eyes to the blurry world, to see an indistinguishable figure standing over me. I raised my head, trying to get a clearer view, but my head felt _really_ heavy. And sore.

"Mmph," I moaned, then cringed when the sound hurt my ears.

"It's quarter to twelve, are you getting up?" The voice said, and it sounded like they were speaking through a tube. Loud and muffled. I heard them move away, their footsteps clunking on the floor like they were wearing heavy shoes. Suddenly, there was a clacking sound, and light flooded into the room. I squeaked as the grey light seared my eyes, and pulled the duvet over my eyes. It provided little protection, but it meant I could get used to it, slowly and steadily. But before that happened, the person walked back over and yanked it away from me. I screamed in surprise as the light invaded me, seeping through my shut eyelids, landing on my skin along with the tickly cold air. I think I lay there, screaming and writhing like a _real_ vampire, burning in the light, for a few minutes, before the shock wore off, and I got used to the different atmosphere. The _daytime_ atmosphere.

"Oh my God, what the _hell_ was that?" Ivy asked disbelievingly. I blinked, and rubbed my eyes.

"What do you want?" I groaned.

"First, I wanted to wake you up, because I don't think you'd appreciate being left to sleep in, and second of all, I wanted to ask about yesterday's stunt," She scowled at me.

"What do you mean?" I said confusedly. I remembered being confused at Emmett walking in drunk, and then trying the alcohol… ohh.

"Well, your drunken stunts have set the whole family into a bad mood… and you've set my 'mission' back a few days."

"Mm..what?" I groaned.

"Edward doesn't care about a thing but you, and I was talking about it with him when you and Tweedle-Dum walked in."

"But isn't that a good thing?" I sighed sleepily, "I mean, didn't we _want_ him not to care?"

Ivy seemed to think this over, then nodded a little. "I suppose, but he'll be interested in them again, sooner or later, so we can't throw them away…"

"So? If we throw them away, what will it matter? Sure, he'll be annoyed, but let him," I said, and she blinked.

"I never really thought of the 'nuts to him' option, but, we could, I guess." She shrugged.

"Good! Now get out, and give me back my duvet!" I cried, and she threw it back on me, before walking out of the room. I pulled it back over my head, and tried to doze off again, but it was useless. I'd been woken up now, and I couldn't sleep again. So I did get up. Though my head hurt, like any hangover would, it was bearable. I sat up, and tested my weight on my sore leg. Nothing. It didn't hurt at all; like nothing had ever happened to it. I stood up, trying it out. Still, it felt fine. Curious, I started to get changed, then before I put my jeans on, I started peeling back the bandage. There was no blood; instead, there was that same, sparkly, shiny transparent liquid, only, it had a slightly pinkish red tint to it, like blood mixed with water. Gingerly, I put a finger in the blood like substance. It clung to my finger, making a long, hanging drip. I put my thumb to it, and rubbed it between my fingers. It was sticky, yet smooth to touch. I decided it was very strange, and wiped it away on my discarded pyjamas. I replaced the bandage with the extras in the bedside table drawer, and managed to put my jeans on over it. I looked at my image in the mirror, surprised that I didn't look to bad, for someone who'd been drunk out of their face the night before. My hair wasn't greasy, and my face looked normal.

Just as I was inspecting my image, my bedroom door opened and slammed shut again, with Ivy standing on the other side, eyes scrunched up in a cringe. "Bella!" She cried, sounding miserable and guilty. Then, she ran toward the little wooden chair in the room, and brought it back, jamming it against the door. I instantly panicked. What was she doing? Keeping the family _out_, or us _in_?

"Ivy?" I asked, worried.

"I'm so, _so_ sorry, Bella! I didn't mean to! I… I," She walked toward me, looking pained. "My mind shield slipped," She whispered. "Edward _knows_!"

"You _what?!_" I gasped, feeling my chest restrict. "How much did you reveal?!"

"Well, I was thinking of the scales, and what they would look like on a mermaid tail, then I thought about _my_ mermaid tail, and he was next to me, and he gasped in realization, then I ran up here!" She cried quietly.

There was a loud knock at the door, "Ivy?!" Edward called. "I know you're in there, I just want to talk!" He said, sounding worried.

"About what?" She replied blankly, though her miserable, hopeless, giving away the lie.

"… Is Bella in there, yeah?" He asked hesitantly, as though he was unsure about discussing anything like that with me around.

"Yes, she is, but this is _her_ room, and why should that matter? What can't you say in front of her? What is this _even_ about?" Ivy called back, her voice quivering. She walked toward the door quickly, then leaned against it, as though to keep him out.

He gave a heavy sigh from the other side of the door, and I could imagine him running a hand through his hair nervously. "Okay, look. I'm sorry about this, but I _think_ I heard your mind earlier… and what I _did_ hear, it's… I… I don't know what to think about it. If I could say what I thought I heard, and you could _honestly_ confirm it, or if you have to, deny it? Because somehow, I'm certain I was right."

"What do you think you heard?" Ivy said, trying very hard to just sound confused, not frightened or worried.

Another sigh. "This, it sounds weird, but if I'm wrong, bear with me, okay? I heard you…well, more _saw_ you picturing a… _mermaid_? I'm not sure, all I saw was a tail, like, a _big,_ mermaid tail, attached to your torso, instead of legs…" He didn't sound so sure anymore, perhaps she could have driven him away from the idea.

She started laughing, albeit shakily. "Oh, that. I was just imagining… that in a mythological world they might exist." She thought about what she said, then silently cursed; it _was_ a mythological world, with vampires, werewolves and mermaids. "I mean, I know the world's already mythological, I meant, if there are vampires and werewolves, why not mermaids and unicorns, too?"

"That's a good point actually…" Edward laughed.

"But you haven't seen any mermaids, or unicorns before, have you? And you've lived for a long time, right?"

"Again, good point." Edward said. "But… I still think that _something else_ exists. Particularly mermaids. Sorry I had to come and interrogate you about it, it's just I've been thinking about things like that for a few days; I've heard both Carlisle and Alice think _mermaid_ a few times, so, it makes me think _they _have. Maybe I should go ask them about it."

Ivy and I stared at each other in horror. Carlisle and Alice had let slip. Not entirely, he didn't _know_ it was true, or that it was us, but they'd opened his mind to it. "Get a life, Edward!" I yelled jokingly.

"That's what I'm _trying_ to do! My life is in there!" He laughed back, and I smiled. _How corny… but cute._ "Can I come in and see you yet?" He whined.

"Sure, I'll go," Ivy said quickly, eager to disappear. She moved the chair away, then opened the door to let him in, and walked out herself. Edward walked in, and looked surprised that I was up and dressed.

"Aren't you still resting?" He asked concernedly.

"It doesn't feel too bad anymore," I smiled, then patted my leg where the bandage was. Okay, more like slapped it. Mistake. His eyes widened in shock, then he looked up at my face, as though expecting to see me wail in pain. I shrugged, blushing.

He looked at me in disapproving worry. Then, he came and sat next to me, and looked into my eyes. I tried to look back into his unwaveringly, but as usual, I got lost there, in his eyes. They were a dark gold, but still shone beautifully. "So you're okay today?" He asked.

"Yup, I'm good."I smiled. "Are you?"

"Never better," He sighed. Since we had just recently started our relationship again, we were both still pretty hesitant, self-conscious. Not me, not today. Though I _meant_ to slowly lean toward him, I sort of more crashed into his face. To stop me from hitting my forehead or nose against his, he caught hold of my shoulders and pressed his lips to mine. It was an intense, amazing kiss, but he ended it too quickly. He gently pulled away, and looked right into my eyes again. "Why didn't you tell me?" He demanded, not angrily, but the words were enough to make me gasp.

"Tell you what?" I said, deciding the best choice of action would be to deny it all.

"Why didn't you tell me Ivy is a _mermaid_?!" He said in wonder, and I felt like an elastic band snapped in my mind, in relief, but there was still worry there.

"I-I…I-it was never my secret to tell," I stammered, eyes wide. I couldn't believe he only thought Ivy was a mermaid.

"I _suppose_…" He sighed. "But it just feels weird not to _know_ things, since I always _do._" He admitted.

"Well, you'd better get used to it," I muttered under my breath.

"What?" He said.

"Nothing." I smiled.

"So… can you tell me anything about it?"

"Again, not for me to tell," I don't think that Ivy wanted you to know, so maybe you should keep this quiet." I said, though I knew that I would be telling her as soon as I could. "You'll need to take this up with her."

"That's fair, I guess," He smiled, then took hold of one of my hands, and began playing with the fingers. "Do you want to do anything today?" He asked.

"Umm… like what?"

"I don't know… we could go for a drive? Maybe go down to the lake?" He suggested with a smile just begging to become a chuckle. I blushed at the memory, of the strange goings on. Edward stared at me speculatively, as though figuring something out. "Was that a blush?" He asked confusedly.

"Uh…?" I had been embarrassed, and I _had_ felt the blood rush to my cheeks, but I couldn't see my cheeks. "I don't know, but I _was_ embarrassed." I shrugged.

"Okay," He shrugged too. "We could go to this new meadow I found recently?"

"Sure," I grinned. I missed the meadow at home, it would be nice to be in one like it again. I just hoped it didn't have a lake, like the last one. He knotted his fingers in mine, and we walked out of the room together.

**Okay, short chapter, I know, & I haven't updated in a while… back at school, so I don't have as much time for fanfiction, unfortunately… ): will try my best though, (: **

**So, though it's short, what do you think? R&R? & thanks for those who have reviewed, you're faaabulous :D **

**#;Lots of loooove! x **


	18. Chapter 18

"Aw, c'mon! No _way!"_ I exclaimed, looking at Edward's back, where he waited to pick me up to take us to the meadow.

"Bella, it's ages away, and you won't be able to keep up with me," He sighed.

"But-" He swung around and picked me up, then slung me over his shoulder so I was clinging onto his back.

"Just like the good old days," He laughed, then started running. I watched the scenery blur around me, before it came into focus again. I didn't feel sick this time, luckily. "You okay?" Edward asked, well aware that I had a little motion sickness.

"I'm fine!" I yelled, trying to be heard over the whoosh of the wind. I kissed his neck, the little bit of skin just below his hair.

Eventually, he stopped in a snowy clearing and set me down. The first thing I noticed was how soggy the ground was; I sunk right in to the muddy, grassy land. It was like there had been snow on it, but it had all melted, softening the ground. It definitely wasn't as pretty as our meadow back home. "I know it's not as good…"He started.

"No, no, it's perfect." I smiled.

"Sure?" He asked.

I nodded silently, inspecting the area, before shuffling my feet so water wouldn't drip in, before lifting the water away with my powers. He turned back around to inspect the meadow more, nodding slightly. "Should be a bench here," He said.

"No, it's fine, we can sit," I smiled, heating up my skin as I sat down, so the water wouldn't affect me. I patted the ground beside me, and it hissed slightly from contact. He didn't seem to notice, but sat down beside me.

"I'm glad you came back," He said after a long silence.

"I never came back, I came to you," I smiled.

"You know what I mean," He laughed.

There was another long silence, not an awkward silence, but it felt like there were words going unspoken. "Do you think… do you think that if I hadn't come here, you would have returned to Forks?" I asked quietly.

He didn't answer at first; either because he didn't know the truth, or because he didn't want to say. "Perhaps…." He said, sounding sad. "But, after you'd left. Gone to college or university, moved away." He said sadly. "You understand why, though, right?" He asked.

I nodded, "But I don't like it. I mean, why should you take my safety into your own hands? Who's to say I was safer without you around? You were never here to protect me, I can do that myself," I said, not angrily, but with just enough emotion to vent out what I had needed to say. Edward just stared at me blankly, like he couldn't understand me.

"Taking myself out of your life was the safest thing to do, and it still is," He said.

"I understand that, _but_, I don't agree with it." I said, and shook my head quickly. "I want someone who loves me, and who I love equally, not someone who wants to be my carer." I sighed, trying to word it right.

"Can't I do both?" He asked, tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear.

I shook my head quickly. "It's my turn to save _you_ now," I smiled.

"You already have," He whispered. He leaned in to kiss me, but, though I was stupid to do so, I stopped him to ask another question.

"Wait… so if you've decided you can't stay out of my life, what's going to happen now? Well, in the future? And how can you stand being with me so much better?" I asked.

"So we're having the 'where is this relationship going' conversation already?" He laughed, before sobering. "Well, it depends… what do _you_ want? I don't want you to think you _have_ to stay with me for all your life. And how can I stand being near you, with the scent of your blood? I'm not too sure, really… it's like, you are… I mean, your _blood_ is tempting still, but in a… different way…" He looked away, and I knew that had he any blood, he would be blushing.

"Why, Mr Cullen! I do hope you are not intending to have your wicked way with me?!" I gasped, then laughed, making him even more embarrassed.

"No," He mumbled, cringing.

"No?!" I said, shocked, then laughed again.

"Will you stop it?" He said, smiling.

"Sorry," I grinned, "It's just too easy to play with your reactions."

"Shall we steer away from this conversation?" He said briskly, thinking of something else to talk about.

"Aw, why? I was enjoying talking about-"

"The weather isn't very good, here, is it? It's all snowy. Better than Forks, I suppose," He said, quickly and loudly, cutting through my words. "Yes, I do think- … Have you stopped talking?" He asked suddenly.

"Shut up," I growled playfully, and proved my point by sealing his words in his mouth with my own. He responded happily, but pulled back quickly.

"Your skin is so _hot_!" He exclaimed. "I know my skin's cold anyway, but yours… it's like a flame!" He said, then put the back of his hand against my forehead, before pulling back quickly. "Bella, you're boiling." He said worriedly, then his eyes widened. "Oh my God, Bella… you're not…" He swallowed, then inhaled deeply. "No, you can't be… you're not a werewolf, are you?" He asked, doubting himself.

"_What_?!" I had been expecting the worst, yet again, and yet again, he had thought up a very idiotic explanation. "_No!"_

"I didn't think so… you don't _smell_ like one…" His nose wrinkled in distaste. "But… they're a lot warmer than humans, and your temperature… it just made me think of them. Of course, we would _know_ if you were." He scowled, then looked at me worriedly.

I shrugged, "I guess my system is just working overtime,"

"You're not ill?" He asked concernedly.

"I'm not ill," I said, shaking my head. "At least I _hope_ not," I smiled.

"I'm glad you're okay." He smiled, reassured. "…and, it wasn't… uncomfortably warm…" He said quietly, then laughed.

"Good to know," I said blankly. He watched me for a moment, as though he was trying to drill into my mind. When he finally gave up, 'gained a sense of security', I pounced. Moving at a very fast speed for a human, or a very slow mermaid speed, I leapt at him, arms wide, ready for a kiss. I didn't expect him to expect me, of course, so it was a surprise when he faced me, arms also outstretched.

He growled like a vampire, then started laughing. I yelped in surprise, and lost my balance, catapulting into him with full strength and actually managing to topple him over. He didn't seem confused that I'd managed to push him over; instead he carried on laughing, and hugged me closer to him. "Whatever happened to that shy, quiet Bella?" He enquired mockingly.

"Why, did you prefer her?" I asked him, raising an eyebrow, though he couldn't see my expression.

"Both of you are amazing… though now, I don't really know what to expect with you…"

"You managed pretty well there when I pounced on you," I laughed.

"I caught the motions in the corner of my eye, moments before you actually leapt." He said smartly.

"Well done," I said sarcastically, then laughed, so I wasn't being mean intentionally. I rolled onto my side so I could face him.

"I like it when you act like this, it makes me think you're happy, seeing as you're comfortable enough to joke around. Before… you seemed happy, but you were never as relaxed around me as you are now…" He said, like he was talking to himself, saying his thoughts aloud.

I propped myself up on one elbow. "Is this because I showed you my bra?" I asked. "Because I wasn't _relaxed,_ if that's what you were thinking. It was because I was drunk."

He frowned at the sky, then looked down at me again thoughtfully. "I'm still not sure I believe you about that," He sighed.

"Well, why else would I be acting like that?!" I said loudly, embarrassed. "I just fancied giving you a strip tease in the middle of a lake?! I wanted to show off the new things Alice got me?! That doesn't sound like me _at all_, no matter how much you think I've changed."

"Yes, I get that, but drinking doesn't sound like you either…" He seemed very confused, and I wondered how he hadn't figured it out yet. Luck, I guessed.

"Like you said, I'm not like the Bella you knew," I said with a note of finality, and he got the idea, and shut up.

"…It _was_ a nice view," He commented quietly.

"Indeed." I laughed. "Pervert."

"_Pervert?_ I think not," He said. "Am I not supposed to notice your beauty?"

"Shut up," I said, smiling and what _should_ be blushing at the same time.

"It would be very hard _not to _notice your beauty," He said quietly, attacking me with that golden gaze. He dazzled, more than he had ever before he left. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, I suppose. "Like now, for example, you_ dazzle_." He sighed, leaning in to kiss my hair, my cheeks, my lips, wherever he could. I sat up so I could kiss him back, and he followed, slightly. He kissed my neck, and I could feel his cool breath as he inhaled deeply, taking in the strange, different scent of my blood.

"You're not going to… to bite me, right?" I asked breathlessly.

"Not now, and not unless you want me to, _in the future_," He said, equally breathless. He pulled back to look at me. "If it's something you really want, I'll do it," He said, like he was giving in to an old argument. Well, he _was_, but I didn't want to be a vampire anymore, not really. I mean, it would be great to be the same as Edward, but I didn't _need_ to be, I'd become immortal, and that was the crux of my argument; to live forever with him. Plus, I didn't know if a mermaid could become a vampire – werewolves can't, the vampire venom kills them. Would it be the same for mermaids? "I don't think I could bear to lose you again, and it seems it's the only way we can be together. If you want to stay with me, forever, I'll do it. I understand if you _don't_, though."

"No! I _do_, want to be with you, forever and ever." I grinned.

He watched me carefully, a slight, hopeful smile on his face, one that also looked like it could fall quickly. "You know what you're getting yourself into, right? You can't change your mind, once you're vampire-d. And especially not if we have a vampire wedding…"

"_Wedding?!_" I choked out. I wasn't even going to deal with the 'vampire' part, not until I'd got this straight. He was talking about weddings?! Marriage?! We'd been back together for what… a week? I wasn't sure how long, but it wasn't nearly long enough. Of course, he was the one and only being that occupied my heart and mind, whether he was around or not, but still. And there were still so many uncertainties, so many secrets between us… He looked like I'd just turned him down for… something, so I decided I needed to say more. "I mean, not that I don't love you… but… isn't it a little soon to be discussing _weddings_?"

He stared at me for another minute, a smile slowly creeping onto his face. "I wasn't talking about immediate future," He said, and chuckled, just a little. "I was just giving you examples of things you couldn't go back on, no need to panic!" He shook his head in amazement. "Normally, it's the male of the relationship who panics when the 'W' word is mentioned, but clearly not here… Speaking of which…" He reached into his jeans pocket, and I could feel my eyes widening.

"Please don't!" I gasped, _really_ panicking. "No, don't!" I shook my head quickly.

He looked up at me again, frowning. "Don't what?" He seemed confused.

"If you… if you _propose_… I don't know if I'd be ready to say yes… it's _so soon!_" I gasped, worried I'd hurt his feelings.

He looked even more confused. Without saying a word, he pulled out a ring from his pocket, and held it out to me. I supposed it was just coincidence we were kneeling? "Bella," He said, as though scolding a child. I could feel my eyes water. I didn't know what to do, what to say. Renee would _freak_ if I said yes. _Edward _would freak if I said no. The family would hate me, especially Alice. I wanted to say yes, just _not now_. Ugh! "Bella, do you think this is Alice's, Rosalie's, or Esme's? I found it on the bathroom sink earlier today, and I forgot to ask them about it. I thought, since you see Alice and Rosalie a lot, and they would have shown you any recent rings they'd got, you might know who it belongs to?"

Oh, I didn't know whether to pass out or to hit him. I was trembling from the shock, worry… every emotion under the sun. "And you thought I was _proposing_?!" Edward laughed, shaking his head in wonder. "I love you, you know that?" He chuckled, rolling his eyes. I hit him lightly on the arm, chagrined.

"Anyway!" I said loudly, trying to shut up his laughter, though it was a lovely sound. "If it's too small on me, it's Alice's. If it fits me, it's Rosalie's or Esme's, and if it's too big, it belongs to Emmett. I can't remember their designs - I've seen nearly all of their engagement and wedding rings, my mind's swamped full of them."

"Okay, so just try it on and we'll know. Or actually, if I just ask them when we get back…" Edward started.

"I doubt even _they_ remember who owns what ring, let me see, at least we can narrow it down." I took the ring from him and put it on my finger, before flexing my finger, seeing if I could, whether it was too tight to move, or would fall off, and also admiring it, just a little. "It fits," I told him. "It's-"

"Ohh! Click-click! I wish I'd brought my camera, guys! Got yours, Em? Jazzy?" Came that well known, soprano voice of Alice. "I can't _believe_ _this! _I mean, it's great! I can't _wait_ until everyone hears about this!"

Oh no. "Alice, I-" I started.

"Don't worry Bella, I get it. You want to keep it quiet?" She smiled knowingly. "Nobody will think badly of you. Trust me, we Cullens have been waiting on this _forever_. Can you believe it, Jazz? Edward's getting _married_!"

"Alice!" Edward said, almost commanding attention. Almost – Alice has her own schedule; she entirely ignored him, while her and Emmett started talking excitedly at full speed.

"Aw, don't worry, Edward. We won't tell her about the bets." Jasper smirked. "_This proves he's _not_ gay!" _He stage whispered to me, and winked.

Edward and I looked at each other hopelessly. "Look, guys-" We _both_ started, only to be cut off, _again_.

"Congrats, bro! And Sis! I guess!" Emmett said, grinning from ear to ear. "You'd better hurry if you want to tell everyone else yourselves, I doubt Alice can keep this in for very long!" He said, just as the pixie dashed off.

"Hah, yeah, Emmett. _Alice_ can't keep this quiet for long: what about you?" Jasper laughed.

"Shush, it's just so exciting, that's all!" He said happily, and ran off after Alice.

"Jasper, listen, we're not-" I started desperately, but he shook his head.

"Don't try to downplay it, Bella." I felt a wave of excitement and happiness wash toward me, and I too was excited about some wedding that didn't exist.

"Oh my gosh!" I said ecstatically, and wiggled my fingers again, watching as the silvery gems glittered in the grey daylight. I looked up at Jasper and Edward again, but Jasper was gone.

"Bella, you _know_ that's not your ring, and we're not getting married, right?" Edward said, testing to see if Jasper was far away enough for the emotions to wear off.

"Yes," I grumbled, and handed it back to him, feeling embarrassed.

"We'd better hurry home to stop this in its tracks," Edward said, and before I knew it, I'd gone from sitting on the wet grass to being on Edward's back, racing through forest back to the Denali mansion.

**Okay, I'm so sorry for the delay! School! _ not happy at all. &&, I'm sorry if this makes no sense, or I've repeated stuff, or if it's as dull as wood – I've looked at it in separate little bouts, and hardly remember what I've written. Shall read over it sometime, when I've got time. Tell me what you think, though, R&R to reassure me… or not :P**

**Thanks to all my reviewers etc. as usual, you guys are greatttt ((: LY x**

**#;Lot's o' looooove! xxx**


	19. Chapter 19

I jostled about on Edward's back; he was too much of a hurry to be careful with me. Luckily, I wasn't the fragile human I once was, it didn't bother me. He didn't carry me all the way to the front door, instead I was dumped on my feet by the edge of the forest, while he carried on racing toward the mansion. He was inside in the blink of an eye, and I could hear the crash as he slammed the door behind him. I smiled slightly, imagining Alice, Jasper and Emmett's punishment. The idea of Edward and I getting married was ridiculous. We'd both said so. He was really only joking around when he had that engagement ring. He could have picked a better time and way to ask my help in identifying who the ring belonged to. But really… was it so ridiculous? I mean, I knew I wanted to marry Edward, or at least be with him forever, and as far as I knew, he felt the same. And there was no problem with longevity – we were both immortal, and I'd be able to tell Edward sometime soon. It didn't matter about different species - as long as vampires didn't want my blood – we didn't have any plans we couldn't fulfil. Children were _never_ going to happen, not a vampire and…_ any_ humanoid being. So that could happen, sometime in the future. I'd just have to tell Edward that I would be able to live forever with him.

I couldn't help but feel a little hurt though, that his reaction had been so drastic. Sure, I'd been annoyed that we'd been mistook, a little chagrined too, but I wasn't angry enough to attack the troublesome trio, just scowl at them a little, smack them upside the head. I shook my head, and began ploughing through the snow, back to the mansion. There was plenty of time to discuss things, iron things out. Edward and I had a rocky past, so of course it would be hard to begin with.

When I reached the house, I hesitantly opened the door, worried about what I would hear…

"No, Charlie – alright, Mr Swan - we're not-" I could hear Edward's voice, and the buzz of a phone, and my heart flew into my mouth. "Look, I _swear_, it was a-" This time, the sound of Charlie's yelling approached my ears, and I cringed. "She's here now! Yes, you can talk to her… No, I don't decide what she does! ...No!" I could see him now, standing in the hallway, glaring at an immobile Alice and Emmett. Jasper was nowhere in sight, so I guessed he'd 'emotioned' his way out of trouble… for now. "Yes, Mr Swan – _okay!_ _Chief_ Swan! – here she is," Edward said to Charlie, getting annoyed. He thrust the phone at me, and I stared at it blankly, then looked up at him. He looked down at the phone pointedly, and I shook my head, mouthing, 'Oh no, don't get him angry at _me_!' He looked at me incredulously. "Bella, don't prove him right!" He whispered, wiggling the phone at me expectantly. With a glower, I grabbed the phone and walked away with it.

"Bella?!" Charlie said, and I could hear the fear and worry in his voice, which was surprising, since I had expected pure anger.

"Yes, it's me," I sighed, rolling my eyes, despite the fact he couldn't see me. "Calm down, Dad," I started, but he ignored me.

"Bella," He said shakily. "Is this true, about you and young Mr Cullen?" He said, sounding very formal.

"Dad, it-" I started, but he didn't let me finish.

"Because Bella, I wish you'd given me some more of a warning." He sighed resignedly. "I mean, honey, he _left_ you months ago, and you were in shreds."

"Dad." I said loudly, trying to get him to listen.

"And then you disappear up to his house, and then…" He paused, and I could hear his sharp intake, as he considered what he'd heard. "You aren't pregnant, are you?!" He asked sharply.

"_What?!_ No!" I yelled.

"Then why are you getting married so young?" He sounded suspicious, and it made me angry at him, for some reason. I hadn't been here long, did he think I was the sort of girl who just threw herself at her exes beds?

"Because I _love_ him!" I said loudly, and decided it was true. One hundred percent true. Why else hadn't I given up, _really?_ But then, I realized my fault. "Wait… but we're not even getting married, Dad."

"Are you sure? It's pretty easy to hide a trip to Vegas when you're not near me," He said, still unconvinced.

"Look, do you think I'd leave you out if I was getting married? And I swear, I'm not pregnant," With a lot of effort, I hadn't growled out the words.

"I could actually come up to Alaska to see you…" He said, and I audibly gulped.

"No, it's fine, Dad. You don't need to come here…" I sighed, tired of talking to him about this now. "When's school starting up again?" I said, changing the subject.

"Oh! They haven't had any further news… though Mike Newton got in trouble with us police, it was suspected to be arson… but instead of pressing any charges, he's been spending time with the fire fighting service… I don't know if you care about any of this, really, Bells." He said, and I laughed.

"Any news from Jake?" I asked, remembering my wolfy friends.

"Uh… not really… I was down at the reservation earlier today… Ivy was there…" He said, sounding confused.

"_What? _Dad, she's _here_," I said, confused myself. _I'd_ _seen_ her earlier today.

"No, she arrived there just before I went round, she's staying with Billy and Jake." He said adamantly.

"Okay," I said, baffled. I decided to go ask around, to look for her as soon as Charlie was away.

"Actually, Bells, I think I'll be off… er… the… football match is on soon… sorry," He said, sounding ashamed.

"Dad, it's fine, I don't mind if you want to watch football, I'll be home soon anyway. Plus, it's an important match, right?" I said encouragingly.

"Yeah… okay." He said, not entirely convinced, but I guessed he wouldn't feel _too_ bad about it when the match started. "But you promise me you'll tell me if you do anything drastic, like get married, or get knocked up?" He said, sounding – surprisingly – like he wouldn't be angry.

I, on the other hand, was a little annoyed by him again. "_Dad!_ Of course! What do you think I'm like?"

"I think you're perfect, honey," He said, and then hung up abruptly. I hung up too, then looked at the phone in surprise. I hadn't expected that for a conversation. I guess only Edward got the mean, police chief attitude. I put the phone back down in its place, and instead of confronting any of the things I wanted or needed to, I walked up to my room, and lay down on the bed. Alice would know if Ivy had left; the two had become great friends, and Ivy wouldn't just leave.

I could talk to Edward later, though I wouldn't dare ask why he had got _really_ annoyed with Alice, Jasper and Emmett when the prospect of marrying me came to mind; that'd just be too hypocritical. As for the troublesome trio, I'd get them later, for calling Charlie. Imagine that! How annoying. It's like they'd set out to cause me trouble.

I closed my eyes, intent on sleeping, though I was draped across my bed, rather than lying properly on it. I wanted to swim again. It was nowhere near the full moon, but the need and want to be my other self was like a niggling itch. I imagined that this was what a werewolf felt, after going with only two legs for a while, rather than four.

"If you're wondering about our future, I've got some ideas." A cool, velvety voice said, breaking my silence. It was Edward, of course. I sat up quickly, surprised.

"Edward! I could have been naked, or…" I was going to say 'with a tail', but that wasn't such a good plan.

He opened his mouth, then closed it again silently. "Sorry." He said at last, before gesturing toward the door. "Shall I go?"

"No," I sighed, "Let's have your ideas, then."

"Well, I've been thinking a lot about the future…" He started thoughtfully, as though he was _still_ thinking about it. "And I think I've come up with something fair. When I talk about this, I honestly don't mean for it to happen any time soon, though I would really not mind if it were tomorrow. I know you've always wanted to be a vampire, to be like me, and I realize that would be safer for you, seeing as your association with us as a human will be nothing but dangerous… So I think I'm being quite fair when I suggest that I'll change you, after you become my wife," He said, sounding formal.

I shuddered. "Wife's a scary word, right? Wife… _wife_…" I said, and repeated it a few more times, thinking about what it meant. Connected to Edward forever, by becoming his _wife_. "What about _'husband'_? Doesn't that make you shiver?" I asked.

He shook his head, "I like the idea. Think about it: Bella Cullen's _husband_. I _love_ the idea." He smiled fondly. I raised my eyebrows, looking at him incredulously, but I was really thinking about 'Bella Cullen'. It just sounded right, to be honest.

"So, get married to you, and you'll vampire me?" I said; too bad I was already a mermaid. "No." I said, shaking my head.

"No?" He didn't sound angry, or even surprised. It was like he was expecting to be knocked down…

"Wait, I didn't mean I wouldn't want to marry you, _some day_, I just mean… I don't want to be a vampire." And now would be a good time to tell him the truth, but the words were stuck in my throat, hanging on for dear life.

"Pardon?" He coughed, looking at me in shock.

"I don't want to be a vampire." Okay, I couldn't be a vampire… probably. I wasn't sure. What I did know was that I didn't want to be slurping on fish blood.

"You've given up on your big argument? Your adamant decision?"

"Yup." I smiled. "I don't want to be a vampire, no offence of course… I wouldn't mind it… I mean, I'll probably change my mind when I'm a little older," Lie. "But, at the moment, it doesn't seem like a big thing for me."

"If you've managed to change such a strong decision… maybe, this…relationship isn't the best idea…" He said, sounding sad and nervous.

"No, no! I won't change my mind about you, I mean, I didn't… not even when you weren't with me. Not even when Jacob was all into me. He's a catch, though…" I laughed.

He ignored my humour. "So, you wouldn't mind if you… _died…_ or were old, and still married to a seventeen year old?"

I shook my head, pursing my lips. "But… can you tell me what you meant earlier, about 'vampire' marriage? It didn't really make sense."

"It's basically just a marriage where the Volturi are present, and it goes in their files… so they know all about us, really. Nothing other than that. There isn't any wearing black and blood sacrifices anything," He laughed awkwardly, before thinking about my mortality again. "So… you'd just live out the course of your life, until you'd… _die_, and then hope for me to move on? I'm not being selfish here, but… well… I don't want to have to go through the pain of losing you, watching you slowly age and fade away…" He looked really upset, but I couldn't give up the lie, as much as I hated myself for it.

"Well, like I said, I don't know what I'll feel in the future, about vampirism, that is. I don't want you to feel bad, either," I said, taking his hand. "Do you have any other future ideas?" I asked, changing the subject.

"… Well… no. Not really. I'd need to get you a new car, if you're going to stay a fragile human… we wouldn't be able to hang around with other vampires, because they'd want your blood… I… I'm struggling to see how this will work…" He said, thinking really hard, looking panicked.

"Look," I said, and shoved my wrist under his nose. "Do you want to drink from here?! Is it a _taste_ you'd enjoy?"

His eyes widened suddenly. He'd thought his control was good, thought that he'd wanted my blood in a different way, but he hadn't wanted to test it, and I'd shocked him. Involuntarily, he breathed in, and caught the scent. Like I'd expected, he didn't bite into my arteries. I leaned closer, testing him further by putting him in close proximity to my neck. Again, he didn't bite. "Ohh," He sighed contentedly, as though I smelt like an amazing perfume. I thought I was wrong for a second, because he moved _very _close, so his cold nose touched my skin. But instead, he kissed it. Right where the vein was. And he didn't stop kissing me; my neck, my face, collarbone, anywhere his cool, satin lips could reach. And I didn't let him stop, not until he was done with me. I started unbuttoning his shirt, and he didn't stop me; in fact, he _helped_, before starting work on my own blouse. His self control was… gone. All his careful attention to my 'fragility' had disappeared, and I was more than okay with that. "Love you," He whispered against my skin. If there was any doubt in my mind, or in my heart, that I didn't feel the same way about him; it had vanished.

"Love you more," I said back breathlessly.

**Okkaay, sorry for the delay. Couldn't decide how to write this chapter. Plus school. Mostly school. Blame the system. (: Thanks for reviews, guys, long time reviewers, & new reviewers :P EdwardsGoldenEyes, I was glad to get a new, and loooooong review like that :P Now, it's late here, I've stayed up specifically to write this for you guys... feel loved! Feel loved, damnit! xD  
So, im offski, review & I'll equip you with a cookie for the next chapters (: Give me ideas, or something interesting to read as a review, & I'll give you... Hmm... well, you decide. **

**OHYEAH! :P and I've got another story out, 'From Mary Alice To Alice', Idk if you'll like it, but it's about Alice's life in the asylum. I've had very little attention from readers to it, :( so if you fancy having a look, i'll be pleasesed. May not update till I've had interest (reviews) lol :P**

**Thanksssss! xxx (:**


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